Staff Writer

Union's next mayor will earn less than his or her predecessors did.

Union City Council voted unanimously Friday to approve second and final reading of ordinance reducing the mayor's salary from $103,545 to $56,000. The package includes the actual salary ($48,800), a car allowance ($5,400) and a phone allowance ($1,800) as well as the other benefits received by city personnel. The change of salary will take effect after the election of a new mayor on Nov. 4.

The reduction comes in the wake of the resignation and conviction of Mayor Bruce Morgan on federal extortion charges. Morgan resigned on July 17, just hours before he and building and zoning director Jeff Lawson were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiring to accept kickbacks from contractors seeking to do business with the city. Lawson was fired by Mayor Harold Thompson after the indictments were announced. Morgan and Lawson pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy on Sept. 16 and are awaiting sentencing.

When Morgan resigned, filing for the Nov. 4 mayoral election had closed and state law would not permit it to be reopened forcing the office to be decided by write-in votes. A dozen candidates are running to succeed Morgan including Thompson, Torance Inman, Don Shetley, Hutch Hall, Melvin Young Jr., Zari Rice, David “Tubo” Owens, Tommie Hill, Everett Leigh, Brooks Carwile, Ronnie Wade and Marsha Hathcock.