Bristol VA on track to approve 1.5 % employee bonus

The Bristol, Virginia City Council voted on a first reading Tuesday to approve an ordinance for a one-time 1.5% bonus for all city employees and officers. City Manager and Attorney Randall Eads said in the council meeting that the bonus is intended to make up for city workers who didn’t qualify for a 3% raise recently approved by the Commonwealth. Around five city employees’ salaries are not grouped in funding plans by the Virginia Compensation Board, but paid outright by the city and wouldn’t qualify for the 3% raise all other city employees are receiving. The one-and-a-half percent bonus would be based on each employee’s salary as of June 30. The ordinance’s first reading was approved 3-1, with Councilman Michael Pollard voting no. The ordinance’s second reading takes place on June 24.