Last Updated on January 7, 2020, 7:11 PM | Published: January 7, 2020
Salaries for three City of Oklahoma City executives and other employees were increased and a host of other business was conducted in an uncharacteristically quiet meeting of the City Council Tuesday.
Executive salary increases
Three resolutions were adopted establishing new annual salaries for City Manager Craig Freeman, Municipal Counselor Kenneth D. Jordan, and City Auditor Jim Williamson and reaffirming their current benefits packages.
Added together, the three executives of the City will receive over $655,000 in salaries, benefits, and car allowances for 2020.
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Each resolution was moved by Ward 5 Councilman David Greenwell scheduled to begin on January 1, 2020.
The first established a new salary for City Manager Craig Freeman at $257,911.43 plus the benefits agreed to at the time of his appointment. The new salary also includes a $7,000 car allowance.
The second established a new salary for Municipal Counselor Kenneth D. Jordan at $207,684.17 plus the benefits agreed to at the time of his appointment, and a $7,000 car allowance.
The final resolution established a new salary for City Auditor Jim Williamson at $169,031.12 plus the benefits agreed to at the time of his appointment, and a $7,000 car allowance.
Each was passed unanimously, after having been hashed out in an Executive Session that lasted 45 minutes.
Other salary increases
Additionally, pay plans were slightly adjusted up for employees not covered in other collective bargaining agreements with unions.
These amounted to cost of living increases for people not included in the Fraternal Order of Police, the Firefighters’ Union, or the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
All this was intended to keep the city competitive as an employer in central Oklahoma.
Land Run Monument
A rumor has been circulating that the city was planning to move the Land Run Memorial sculpture by artist Paul Moore, from the south end of the Bricktown Canal to some other undisclosed location. One local television news personality editorialized that the memorial should be moved to the newly opened Scissortail Park.
But, the rumors and open desires of some will not be realized.
Jane Abraham, Community and Government Affairs Manager for the City of Oklahoma City, told Free Press that the final piece of the sculpture was installed in December at the current location and that the City recently enhanced the landscaping around the sculpture.
She said there is no plan to move the sculpture.
The original plan for the extended monument celebrating Oklahoma’s Centennial involved multiple cast statues at around 150% of life size. Over several years, 45 statues were to complete the scene that stretches out across the far south end of the Bricktown Canal.
Instead, the 34th piece installed in December by Deep In the Heart foundry for $24,080 will be the last.
MLK Day
The holiday commemorating the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is on January 20.
A revocable permit was issued for a parade in his honor on North Walker from Northwest 6th St south to Reno Avenue at 2:00 pm on 1/20.
There will also be a silent memorial walk that morning at 9:00 a.m., starting at the Freedom Center at 2609 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. and ending at the Oklahoma History Center.
The next meeting of the City Council will be on January 21.
Columnist covering local government in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County from May 2019 through June 2023.
