Northwood council looks to restore salary levels
Mayor, legislator pay would increase
10/19/2011NORTHWOOD -- After voting to cut salaries last year, the Northwood City Council heard a first reading of an ordinance last week that would put the salaries of the next mayor and the council back at the old funding levels.
Under the proposed ordinance, the mayor's pay would increase to $12,000 annually, up from $10,800 a year. A council member would be paid $7,000 annually, up from $6,300 a year.
The salary increases would take effect Jan. 1 after the next mayor and council are elected Nov. 8 and take office.
In May, 2010, council members-- who cannot legally lower or raise their own salary while they are in office --voted on an 11 percent salary cut for the next mayor and city legislators. Meanwhile, Mayor Mark Stoner and the other council members voluntarily gave the same amount as the proposed cuts back to the city, Mr. Stoner said.
During that time, city employees were furloughed for eight days and their pay cut 3 percent last year.
But the city's finances have slowly rebounded as the economy and the automobile industry improved, which is why, Mr. Stoner said, council members are considering setting their salary back to the old amounts. Previously, the mayor and council's salaries have remained the same since 2003.
The council has until Nov. 10 to either vote on the proposed salary increase or table it.