Genoa: Councilmen, workers may gain raises

4/13/2005

Most Genoa employees and council members may soon have a bump in their pay.

Council considered increasing the pay rate of 14 village employees by 3 percent, which was recommended by the finance committee, at last week's council meeting.

"After working the budget this year, and for the job performance and the work performance the employees do, I felt it was appropriate to recommend that," Village Administrator George Adams said, adding that council also approved a 4 percent salary increase last year.

If the increases are approved, Public Works Director Kevin Gladden would have a raise from $40,500 to $41,715 a year. Some others in the public works department would have an increase of between 49 cents and 62 cents per hour.

Village employees who would have a salary increase with the proposed 3 percent increase in hourly salaries include patrolmen, maintenance workers, secretaries and clerks, with hourly pay increased up to 44 cents.

If approved, the pay rates would go into effect July 1.

The police chief, village administrator, and fiscal officer along with recreational park employees and seasonal employees would be excluded from this raise because their salaries are considered separately, Council President Elizabeth Slotnick said.

The new police chief, Chad Millner, will receive a pay increase from $42,000 to $44,000 per year once his six-month probationary period is over, Mr. Adams said.

He said Fiscal Officer Charles Brinkman cannot be paid more than $55,000 a year, according to the ordinance that sets his position's salary. Mr. Brinkman received a 3 percent raise in January, and is now paid $50,000 annually.

Mr. Adams said his own salary is set under contract, and he also received a 3 percent increase in January, making his salary $72,000 a year.

Along with giving some village employees a pay raise, council is also thinking of increaseing each councilman's salary from $3,000 a year to $5,400 annually in anticipation that the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System will raise minimum requirements for qualifying employees that have full-time pension status, Mr. Adams said.

If passed, the salary increases would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2006, for the next round of elected officials on council. Four councilmen are up for re-election this year, Ms. Slotnick said.

As for the part-time mayor, Tom Perry makes $6,000 a year and is not up for re-election until 2007. Mr. Brinkman said council will most likely pass a resolution by then to increase the salary of the mayor who takes office in 2008 because the current mayor cannot receive a raise while in office.

"There was just no need to do it at this time," Mr. Brinkman said.

In other action, council unanimously approved lowering the $5 fee for a copy of an incident report at the recommendation of the police chief. The fee had been in place since December, 2003, councilman David Adams said.

Copies will now cost 5 cents per copy for the first 20 pages, 10 cents per copy for pages 20 to 50, and 15 cents per copy for more than 50 pages.