Forest Park is raising the pay of city employees to remain competitive with municipal salary increases across metro Atlanta.
The City Council of the Clayton County community earlier this week approved a 7% bump in pay for most of Forest Park government’s 220 employees. Public safety workers such as police, fire and emergency medical departments will get 15% increases.
“In order for us to continue the progress that we have generated over the last four years, it is important that we do everything we can to take care of those same individuals who carry out our mission and vision each and every day,” Forest Park Mayor Angelyne Butler said.
The increase will cost the city about $1.29 million, Forest Park said. The city also established $17 as the minimum hourly pay for a Forest Park government employee.
The move comes as municipalities across metro Atlanta are raising employee pay to attract candidates for hundreds of vacancies. Public safety positions have been among the most difficult to fill as controversial police shootings have made a career in law enforcement less attractive to some candidates, experts have said.
The creation over the past two decades of numerous new metro cities with their own public service departments also has increased the number of available positions, they said.
Police recruits will start at about $46,600 annually as a result of the wage increases while firefighters and emergency medical technicians/paramedics will receive a minimum yearly salary of $46,200.
“These pay increases will provide our employees with a livable wage and allow us to offer competitive wages that are comparable to other employers in our market,” Forest Park City Manager Marc-Antonie Cooper said.
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