SOUTHAVEN, MS (abc24.com) - Southaven Mayor Greg Davis is making more money than anyone in the city thought he was. That includes the Board of Aldermen, and they're the ones who set the mayor's pay.
"The main problem was a discrepancy in numbers," says Alderman Ronnie Hale.
"We thought his base pay was $140,000 and $30,000," says Alderman at Large Greg Guy. "We thought the total was $170,000, but looking at his W2, it's greater than that. It's $180,000."
The board set Davis' base salary at $140,000. Davis is being paid $145,000.
"We're trying to figure out exactly how it came about," says Guy. "We're tired of getting blind-sided."
"No one seems to pinpoint exactly when this money started being paid, or who gave the authority to do it," says Hale. "He is not supposed to be able to adjust his salary up or down. Only a board action can do that. That's not an action we took."
On top of that salary, Davis has drawn an extra $35,000 in each of the last two years from the city's water and sewer department.
He told alderman it was approved by city lawyers, but alderman just found out it's illegal.
"We got an attorney's general opinion that that's not legal, that we can't do that," Guy says.
So this week, the city stopped paying it.
For Southaven residents, the issue with Davis' salary seems to be one more skeleton in the mayor's already overflowing closet.
"They need to investigate more deeply," says Andy Hall. "How long has this been going on? I think there's some more that can be found. I think they haven't scratched the surface yet."
The board has started reviewing all city records and contracts, but most only date back four years. Davis has been mayor for nearly 15.
