Fort Oglethorpe Council members voted 4-1 Monday to increase the yearly pay of the council, mayor, and city judges by $2,000.

This raise will bring the council members and city judges annual pay to $8,500. The mayor's annual salary will now be $10,500.

According to Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Judd Burkhart, the raise will not go into effect until the new city council is sworn in, in January 2006, because by state law the council cannot vote themselves a raise.

Burkhart, Fort Oglethorpe Council members Richard Egeland and Jane Moye will be a part of the 2006 council and their terms run through 2007.

Councilmen Ronnie Cobb, Harold Silcox, and Alan Marshall are up for re-election in November.

Silcox was the lone council member opposing the pay raise.

He stated he would not vote for a council raise during his four-year term.

I've always said it and I just had to stick with it," he said.

Burkhart said a lot is expected of city council members. They have to take time away from work and family to cover city business, and they should be compensated, he said.

The municipal judges¡¦ caseload has expanded and they are spending more time in court, Moye said She added it is not fair to ask them to do more and not compensate them for their time.

She said the city is having trouble getting people to run for office.

"I'm hoping we'll get more people interested in getting involved in the city and running for election," she said.

Cobb said to encourage professional people to run for office the pay level needs to be an incentive.

The council's last pay raise was in 2002.

In other business at the May 23 Fort Oglethorpe City Council meeting...

* The council approved the commission of a painting to hang in the council meeting room. The painting will be fully funded by private donations and is estimated to cost between $4,000- $5,000. Local artist Cathy Cooksey is being considered to paint possible scenes depicting the Civil War, World War I, World War II and Fort Oglethorpe past and present.

* City engineers reported on the status of current sewer projects. According to engineers: The project at Morgan and Gracy circles is near completion and no delays are expected at this time. Pine Hill sewer plans have been submitted to the state for approval. The necessary permits and easements are being obtained