Jennings City Council approves salary raise for mayor

Posted: Jun 12, 2012 9:51 PM by Elizabeth Hill

Jennings may look like a small quiet town, but it's big enough to operate with a $10 million budget and the City Council wants to ensure they continue to have the right person in charge of that budget.

"This is not a small job and it requires someone's full time attention."

Finance Director Greg Marcantel says the city hopes the raise from $52,000 a year to $65,000 will ensure the job of mayor is appealing to the right candidates.

"We want people who can commit the time and effort of running the city."

"It's beyond a full time job. It's 24/7."

City Council President Stephen Vanhook says the current mayor's salary is considerably lower compared to similar sized towns like Rayne and Crowley.

"We know that we've got to remain competitive with people that do want to provide the guidance that's necessary with the type of budget we have.

A $13,000 a year raise may seem like a lot, but the mayor is only considered for a raise every four years.
this new salary won't go into effect until the next mayoral term.