PERRY -- Oversights can be corrected, as shown through measures Perry City Council approved Tuesday to prevent any more employees from exceeding their maximum salaries.

The City Council voted unanimously during its regular council meeting to approve an amendment that says employees cannot receive a base pay rate that is higher than the maximum range for their particular jobs. The issue arose after city officials discovered that five of the city’s 112 employees already make more than their jobs call for.

“This is something that has gone on for years and years,” said Councilman William Jackson, who led the meeting Tuesday in Mayor Jimmy Faircloth’s absence. “We just decided to take care of it.”

The change means once an employee reaches the top of the pay range for a particular job, the city worker will no longer be allowed to receive cost-of-living adjustments. The employee would be entitled to merit raises or a council-approved increase.

The five inflated salaries range from $700 to $7,000 more than the range approved for each particular position, according to a memo without names or position titles.

City Manager Lee Gilmour said those current employees are exempt from the new policy and will continue to receive cost-of-living adjustments.

The reasons for the employees having exceeded the pay ranges include the employee moving to another position that has a lower salary scale and the range for the position being downgraded over time.

In other business, the council voted unanimously to waive $867.94 of late property tax fees for New Perry Hotel. It’s at least the third time this tax season the council has had to do so because a new property owner was not properly notified of the property tax bill.

Gilmour said the city is continuing efforts to make sure the city is aware when a new owner buys property so the bill is sent to the correct person. Efforts include asking the Houston County Tax Assessor’s Office to notify the city of new ownerships, he said.

To contact writer Christina M. Wright, call 256-9685.