Committee recommends civilian employee salary ordinance; controller estimates civil pay raise cost at about $145,000–$150,000

The Lawrence City council committee unanimously recommended Ordinance Proposal 10 20 25 — an ordinance fixing salaries of appointed officers and employees of the city of Lawrence, Indiana, for 2026 — sending the measure to full council.

During discussion, a councilor proposed a 3% pay increase for civil-service (civilian) employees for 2026 even though the amount was not included in the proposed budget. The controller provided an approximate cost figure for a 3% civil raise: “that amount would be approximately 145 to 150,000,” which councilors discussed as requiring reallocation of line items in the budget because the proposed budget did not include that expense.

Councilors clarified how Proposal 10 differs from the police-and-fire salary ordinance (Proposal 9). Staff explained that Proposal 9 covers police officers and firefighters (unionized positions under the CBA), while Proposal 10 addresses civilian city personnel and appointed officers who are not in those unions. Committee members discussed whether any reallocation or appropriation would be needed; the controller and councilors stated that line items would need to be adjusted rather than a separate appropriation.

A motion to recommend Proposal 10 to the full council was made and seconded; the vote was recorded as unanimous. Committee members noted that earlier workshop cuts had reduced an initially larger proposed shortfall and that council would continue work to identify additional savings to reach the balance required for the 2026 budget.

The committee forwarded the ordinance to the full council; final salary changes and the source of funds for any civil raise remain subject to full-council approval and specific appropriation adjustments.