Republic file photo Columbus City Hall is shown in downtown Columbus.
Columbus City Council members approved the first reading of five ordinances to set salaries for a range of city employees next year, including first responders. Arlette Cooper-Tinsley, the city’s HR director, said the goal of the 2025 salary ordinance was to prioritize the safety and security of the city.
Ordinances must be passed on two readings to be approved. Council member Jerone Wood, D-District 3, was absent.
Council President Frank Miller, R-District 4, said the ordinances are “pretty much just a function of the budget process so there’s not a lot that can change here,” noting that while members can’t increase any of the proposed salaries, they can decrease them.
The council approved 4% salary increases for mayor, city clerk and city council. They also approved 4% increases for fire and police personnel, along with city employees. The changes had already been reviewed by the council’s budget committee, according to city officials.
“What we do when we look at the salary ordinance and we receive the proposed 4% raise, is we make sure there is room in the salary ordinance for everyone to get up to a 4% raise,” Cooper-Tinsley said.
The following are salaries for next year members gave initial approval to:
- Mayor: $118,315 (up from $113,764 in 2024)
- Clerk: $78,624 (up from $75,600 in 2024)
- City council members: $17,123 (up from $16,464 in 2024)
Patrol officers will have a base salary of $72,800 with a maximum salary of $93,184. For firefighters, the base salary will be $68,672, with a maximum salary of $93,184.
The salaries are informed by two cycles of a market-based compensation study the city has commissioned and an adjustment for cost-of-living. The compensation study includes salary minimums, midpoints and maximums. Salary minimums are a suggested beginning salary and increases to above the midpoint for city employees must be approved by a department head and Cooper-Tinsley. Increases above the salary midpoint for civilian non-sworn public safety officers are merit-based.
Mayor Mary Ferdon said she was pleased to see a raise for city employees.
“The City of Columbus is very fortunate to have employees who work very hard, very diligently. Many of them have been around for quite a long time,” Mayor Ferdon said. “… We can never reward to the level that we want to but I just want to say thank you, because being able to give a raise to all the city employees, it’s a great boost to them because, as everyone else, they know the cost of living is going up.”
There are also three new positions being added next year: a new director of technology, a civilian fire inspector and a field supervisor for the Department of Public Works.
Other changes from last year include the conversion of some 1099 workers to W-2 employees, necessitated by changes in federal law and the renaming of some positions. There will also be additional parks and aviation staffing to be funded through means other than the city’s general fund.
