LCUB doles out $17k raise to finance manager

Increase brings salary in line with previous position holder, LCUB attorney Littleton said
Heather Mays - farragutpress.com

Lenoir City Utilities Board has granted accounting finance manager Suzan Williams a $17,000 increase in her salary to avoid any possible chance of litigation.

An anonymous letter to farragutpress alleged Williams had received a “pay raise of $17,000 from [LCUB General Manager Fred] Nelson,” upping her salary to $95,000.

According to public records from LCUB, Williams’ actual salary is $98,696.

“The Power Board did not approve of this, but it happened anyway.

“Money at LCUB must be growing on trees,” the letter stated.

Other employees, the letter stated, received a 2-to-3.5 percent raise.

LCUB attorney Shannon Littleton said Williams’ salary was increased to come in line with that of the former accounting finance manager, who was male.

“Her particular issue wasn’t a raise per se, it was part of potential litigation. The raises mentioned in that letter for employees, that was given by the Board through the normal procedures,” Littleton said.

“The issue about Suzan herself getting a raise: she did not get a raise, she merely got elevated to what the last male employee was making in her same position,” he added.

Littleton said LCUB had contacted outside counsel to review that decision, including a labor lawyer, who recommended the increase.

“The consequences could have been much severer than just bringing her up … to what a male is making in the same position, in the same job,” Littleton said.

“I don’t think she had a litigious mind, but the thing is, if this ran 10, 15, 20 years out from now … it could have been just incredible amounts of money,” he added.

Williams did not return telephone calls for comment by press time Tuesday, Aug. 4.