Merit raises for city employees will be in effect again this year, City Board members decided Thursday, but with half the total money available in 2005.

&#8220There will be a 3 percent pool that the department heads will have the ability to do merit pay raises with,” said South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman. The 3 percent is based on total payroll for the 314 employees who are not police officers or firefighters.

Raises are based on employee evaluations by department heads. For 2005, the city made available a pool of 6 percent for the total payroll, which was about $350,000, officials said. This year’s pool, to be distributed among selected employees, will total about $150,000.

Police officers and firefighters also receive merit-based pay raises, but those are approved separately from the rank-and-file municipal workers because police and firefighters are under a Civil Service rating system.

The decrease in available money for this year’s raises was caused by a tighter budget, city officials said.

&#8220We were vigorously trying to get a 6 percent pool, but the money is just not there,” said North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield. &#8220We just realized we had to hunker down and find something for the employees to let them know we appreciate their job performance and what they do for the city of Vicksburg.”

Mayfield said he is in support of the merit pay raise system, but thinks there have been times the raises were not properly used since the system was created in 2002. Vicksburg formerly awarded across-the-board raises.

&#8220I have been told every employee will be given a fair and equitable chance at the merit pay raise system,” Mayfield said.

Mayor Laurence Leyens said it was extremely important that the city allocate some money for the raises.

&#8220I think to not have any pool money would undermine our system,” Leyens said. &#8220We have done a lot of work to get a fair system.”

Leyens said the merit pay raises are used to motivate employees by recognizing those who do a good job. He said he thinks the system has worked well for the city.

&#8220I think our productivity has increased 10-fold,” Leyens said.

About half of the eligible employees received raises in 2005 under the merit-based pay system. The average increase was $1,760 per year.

Beauman said the employee evaluations for the year have almost been completed and the merit raises should be in effect by the end of this month.

Salaries of the mayor and aldermen are set by ordinance with automatic yearly increases, so they are not included in the merit pay raise system.