CHAPTER 31: CITY OFFICIALS
Section
General Provisions
   31.01    Oath; bond
   31.02   Compensation
   31.03   Removal from office
   31.04   Training incentives
Elected Officials
   31.15   Election procedure
   31.16   Mayor
   31.17   Council members
Nonelected City Officials
   31.30   Establishment of nonelected city offices
   31.31   City Clerk/Treasurer
GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 31.01 OATH; BOND.
   (A)   Oath. Each officer of the city shall, before entering upon the discharge of duties of his or her office, take the following oath: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and the Constitution of the United States, and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, so long as I continue a citizen thereof, and that I will faithfully execute, to the best of my ability, the office of           , according to law; and I do further solemnly swear (or affirm) that, since the adoption of the present Constitution, I, being a citizen of this United States, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this state, nor out of it, nor have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as a second in carrying a challenge, nor aided or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God,” as established by State Constitution § 228.
   (B)   Bond.
      (1)   Official bonds shall, if required, meet the standards of KRS 62.060.
      (2)   All officers, officials, and employees of the city who handle public funds in the execution of his, her, or their duties shall give a good and sufficient bond to the city for the faithful and honest performance of his, her, or their duties, and as security for all money coming into that person’s hands or under that person’s control. The amount of the bond shall be based upon the maximum amount of public funds the officer, official, or employee handles at any given time during a fiscal year cycle. The cost of the bond shall be paid by the city.
      (3)   Elected officials who post bond, as required by statute, and employees of their offices covered by a blanket or umbrella bond, shall be deemed to have complied with division (B) above.
(KRS 65.067)
§ 31.02 COMPENSATION.
   (A)   The City Council shall, by ordinance, fix the compensation of every elected city officer not later than the first Monday in May in the year in which the officer is elected. An elected officer’s compensation shall not be changed after his or her election, or during his or her term of office.
(KRS 83A.070(1))
      (1)   In order to equate the compensation of the Mayor and the City Council members with the purchasing power of the dollar, the Department for Local Government shall compute by the second Friday in February of every year the annual increase or decrease in the consumer price index of the preceding year by using 1949 as the base year, in accordance with the State Constitution § 246, which provides that mayors in cities of the first class shall be paid at a rate no greater than $12,000 per annum, and mayors in cities other than the first class and city council members shall be paid at a rate no greater than $7,200 per annum.
      (2)   The City Council shall set the compensation of these officers in accordance with KRS 83A.070 at a rate no greater than that stipulated by the Department for Local Government.
(KRS 83A.075)
   (B)   The City Council shall fix the compensation of city employees and nonelected city officers in accordance with the personnel and pay classification plan ordinance of the city.
(KRS 83A.070(2))
   (C)   All fees and commissions authorized by law shall be paid into the city treasury for the benefit of the city and shall not be retained by any officer or employee.
(KRS 83A.070(3))
   (D)   (1)   The following personnel and pay classifications are hereby established.
Position
Compensation Range
Position
Compensation Range
Administrative Assistant
$23,402 to $40,000
Administrative Clerk
$25,499 to $41,134
City Clerk/Treasurer   
$34,410 to $64,972
General laborer   
$20,800 to $37,440
Police Chief   
$31,200 to $66,436
Police officer   
$22,880 to $37,440
Public Works Director   
$24,960 to $45,760
Sewer Plant Operator Class I   
$26,028 to $37,001
Sewer Plant Operator Class II   
$27,156 to $40,962
Sewer Superintendent   
$29,120 to $53,963
Utility Maintenance Director   
$24,960 to $41,600
Water Plant Operator Class I   
$23,920 to $33,411
Water Plant Operator Class II   
$25,334 to $40,671
Water Plant Operator Class III   
$28,883 to $43,554
Water/Sewer Operator in Training   
$20,800 to $24,960
Water Superintendent   
$36,771 to $62,400
 
      (2)   The Mayor shall have discretion to pay employees and nonelected city officers additional compensation for services rendered, but such additional compensation shall be subject to the appropriations set form in the budget ordinance.
(Ord. 2-2019, passed 6-5-2019; Ord. 2-2023, passed 2-27-2023)
Case law reference:
   The limits on compensation contained in the State Constitution are not absolute limits but rather increase or decrease in accordance with changes in the consumer price index. See Matthews v. Allen, 360 SW2d 135 (1948).
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