LINCOLN -- For the first time in three years, Lincoln city employees will receive a pay raise.

Lincoln City Council approved a 2 percent increase as part of the 2018 budget at its December meeting. The raises will cost the city $25,000. The budget also includes longevity bonuses at the end of the year, if money is available.

Council member Johnny Stowers recommended delaying the raise for 2018 to first conduct a study so the city would know what it needs to make salaries comparable to other communities.

Mayor Rob Hulse, though, opposed doing this.

"We haven't given a raise in over three years," Hulse said at the Council's December meeting. "We've got to invest in our team."

He added, "This is a 2 percent across-the-board raise. We've got to invest in our people doing the job."

Council member Bobby McDonald agreed with Stowers the city needs to do a wage study. He asked that a study be completed by the end of March so the Council will have this information before working on the 2019 budget.

Rhonda Hulse, city business manager and grants coordinator, said she could get information from the Arkansas Municipal League. The problem in Lincoln, Hulse said, is that many employees are responsible for several areas so it is hard to get a true comparison. She said she would provide information based on an employee's primary job.

"Every time we do one, everybody is below," Rhonda Hulse told Council members.

Lincoln's 2018 budget for the general fund projects $459,000 in revenue, compared to $430,000 in 2017 and $408,660 in expenses, compared to $388,675 in 2017.

Revenue sources for the general fund include $114,000 from county property tax; $136,500 from county sales tax; $112,000 from franchise taxes; and $18,000 from the sales tax dedicated to parks and recreation.

Expenses include $143,000 for salaries (not including benefits); $40,000 for the fire department; $38,000 for professional fees such as accounting and legal fees; $32,000 for parks and recreation; and $26,500 for dues, subscriptions and fees.

The Police Department's budget shows $280,167 in revenue and $392,850 in expenses. Revenue includes $50,000 from fines and costs and $204,000 from tax revenue. The biggest expense is gross wages, $256,000, not including benefits.

The Water Department expects to take in $1.9 million from water sales and $350,000 in sewer collections in 2018. Expenses includes $552,000 in debt service and $502,000 in salaries (not including benefits).

Budgets for other departments:

• Lincoln Library, $212,630.

• Sanitation, $170,200.

• Street, $40,500.

For the city's capital improvement fund, planned expenses include $15,000 for master street plan/future land use plan; $9,500 for trash truck payment; $10,000 for software server; and $50,000 for miscellaneous.