Northwood: Non-union employees up for raises
3/9/2005Northwood City Council members are thinking of giving non-union city employees a 3.5 percent pay increase in April.
If passed, the ordinance will give raises to eight non-union management personnel, 14 non-union personnel, and all members of the Northwood Volunteer Fire Department. Council gave the ordinance a first reading at their last council meeting.
City employees have received a 3.5 percent salary increase each year in April since 2002, said Toby Schroyer, finance and revenue director.
"Normally they get a raise every year in April, but it's not guaranteed," he said.
The salaries of non-union employees are reviewed in April because Mr. Schroyer said the city finalizes several union contracts in January.
"We don't want everything to hit all at one time in January," he said.
Non-union city management and their proposed salary increases include:
● Patricia Bacon, city administrator: from $66,191 to $68,510
● Jerry Herman, police chief: from $61,645 to $63,804
● Tom Pack, fire chief: from $54,454 to $56,368
● Tom Cairl, police captain: from $54,096 to $55,978
● Toby Schroyer, finance and revenue director: from $55,657 to $57,616
● Craig Meier, director of public service: from $52,000 to $53,820
● Laura Schroeder, clerk of court: from $41,134 to $42,562
● Heather Sayler, planning, zoning, and economic development coordinator: from $36,034 to $37,284
Members of the fire department also will receive a 3.5 percent raise if the ordinance passes. If approved, their salaries will range from $9.16 an hour for a recruit to $15.31 an hour for a chief of EMS.
The compensation for elected officials will remain the same. Mr. Schroyer said the three councilmen who were elected after March 13, 2003, are paid $7,000 a year. The remaining four councilmen are paid $6,000 annually, and if they are re-elected, their salaries will jump to $7,000 a year.
Mayor Mark Stoner, whose position is part time, is paid $12,000, up from the $11,000 he was paid in 2003.
In 2001, Mr. Schroyer said the city hired a consultant to study the pay scales for all city employees and to compare the salaries to similar area cities. Based on the consultant's recommendations of what the employees should be paid, employees received a raise that ranged from 3.5 percent to 15.38 percent.
Every year since then, council has approved a 3.5 percent raise for employees each April.
Lynn Richey-Goertz, the clerk of council and the city clerk, said council probably will pass the ordinance at its March 24 meeting after it is given three readings. Once passed, the salary increases will go into effect April 4.