Boonville mayor proposes $2,000 retention bonus and targeted raises; council adopts amended salary ordinance

Mayor Charles Wyatt told the Boonville City Council on May 19 that the city should award a $2,000 retention bonus to all full‑time employees this year, paid as two $1,000 installments in July and December, rather than increase base pay for 2026.

Wyatt said the bonus would recognize staff while avoiding a permanent increase in the city’s long‑term payroll obligations. “This approach provides meaningful employee recognition while preserving fiscal responsibility and flexibility,” he said.

The mayor also presented a set of targeted pay adjustments for individual staff members tied to expanded duties. He recommended raising Heather Haynes, the mayor’s assistant, by $2.40 an hour (to $24.19) for added responsibilities with the aquatic center and lake operations; smaller hourly increases were proposed for the project administrator (Zach), IT director Michael Dennis, deputy city clerk Christina Dickerson and bookkeeper/HR clerk Jackie Arms. Wyatt asked the council to consider creating a dedicated human resources manager position and suggested an across‑the‑board $2,000 annual raise for all full‑time employees in 2027 to remain competitive and reduce turnover among police staff.

Council members requested time to review the proposals and underlying numbers; Chad Brier moved to table detailed action while staff verify figures. Separately, councilors proceeded with formal ordinance procedures to put agreed position rates on the record. The council approved first reading of ordinance 2026‑5, suspended the rules for an immediate second reading and adopted the amendment to the 2025 salary ordinance that implements the position rates discussed at the previous meeting.

The ordinance as adopted reflects the position rates that were listed at the prior meeting; the mayor and clerk‑treasurer do not vote on ordinances, Wyatt noted. Council discussion included procedural clarifications about which items had already been approved in prior sessions and which would require separate ordinance action to become permanent.

The council did not adopt the mayor’s proposed HR manager at this meeting and agreed to remove that item from the immediate ordinance for further consideration. The mayor said he would work with staff and the city’s finance reviewer to confirm numbers before formal action on any additional 2027 salary changes.