Mayor breaks deadlock on salary increase

Sheboygan Falls Mayor Randy Meyer cast the deciding vote to enact a revised 2009-10 salary ordinance, during a semimonthly Sheboygan Falls Common Council meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the City Hall Municipal Building.

The hotly debated salary ordinance provides city managers with a 3.25-percent salary increase, beginning Jan. 1, 2010.

After considerable discussion on the proposed pay increase, a vote to approve the adjusted salary ordinance produced a 3-3 deadlock among members of the council.

Terry Van Engen, Anne Krauter and Thomas McCue voted against the salary ordinance, while Randy Messner, Duane Glancey and Dawn Beimel cast votes in favor.

The ordinance earned approval when Meyer used his tiebreaking vote to support the motion.

“This has been a tough decision for everyone, considering the tough economy we are dealing with right now,” Meyer said. “I believe we have very good managers in each of our departments.

“We can’t get around the fact that union raises have been better than management raises in recent years,” he said. “I place a high value on our managers, and I appreciate all the time they have put into this process.”

The proposed 2010 city budget had included a 2-percent pay increase for department managers. However, following several meetings with city management, the council agreed to increase the pay increase by 1.25 percent to 3.25 percent for 2009-10.

At the same time, the council agreed to take $20,000 out of the city’s undesignated reserves to save several programs and services, which had been on the chopping block for 2010.

Several aldermen spoke in favor of the salary increase.

“We’ve had to look at this from both sides,” Messner said. “While we had a responsibility to serving our constituents and keeping taxes as low as possible, we also need to treat our employees fairly.

“We don’t have the highest or the lowest salary ordinance in the area,” he said. “Our taxes our comparatively low as well. I feel comfortable that this salary ordinance is not busting our budget.”

“This ordinance is kind of playing catch up with where union wages have been going,” Glancey said. “We want to avoid further compression.

“I can certainly live with the increase,” he said. “It is beneficial for creating a good working environment.”

Van Engen did not hesitate to voice his displeasure with the ordinance.

“Last year was not a good year financially for the city,” Van Engen said. “As a result, we’ve had to cut services.

“It is hard for me to support a wage increase when taking into account the cutbacks we’ve had to make and the current state of the economy,” he said.

The 2009-10 salary ordinance includes the following salaries and wages: mayor ($7,343), aldermen ($3,671), municipal judge ($5,915), municipal court clerk ($12.50 per hour), crossing guards ($10.50 per hour), auxiliary police-desk officer ($14.29 per hour), electrical inspector ($37 per inspection), director of city services ($75,015), building and plumbing inspector ($64,264), director of public works ($71,292), department of public works field supervisor ($61,950), utility field supervisor ($70,496), chief of police ($70,978), director of public safety ($10,000), deputy police chief ($67,558), lieutenant of police ($61,940), sergeant of police ($61,088), police department confidential secretary II ($13.32 per hour) and police department confidential secretary I ($16.01 per hour).

The pay increase does not apply to the mayor or alderman positions.

The council approved the 2009-10 budget in unanimous fashion.

The 2009-10 budget includes a total tax levy of $2,800,670 and a city tax rate of $4.86 per thousand, which represents a 4.48-percent tax increase over 2008-09.

“I have said that I am not thrilled with any kind of tax increase,” Meyer said. “This is by far the toughest budget process I have been a part of.

“We turned over a lot of stones and looked into a lot of options,” he said. “We’ve asked our department heads to innovate. I want to thank Alderman Messner and the Finance Committee for all of the hard work they have put into this budget.”

A budget hearing held prior to the regular Common Council meeting drew no questions, comments or input from the public.

In other business, the council approved an operator license application for Buddi S. Subedi, as well as Class A beer/liquor, soda and cigarette license applications for Annapurna Marketing LLC, located at 434 Monroe St. City Clerk-Treasurer read the notice of nomination for the 2010 spring election.

Meyer announced his candidacy for a fourth term in the mayor’s office.

The City Hall, Department of Public Works and Public Utilities offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Garbage pickup regularly scheduled on Thursday and Friday will be pushed back one day.

The council met in closed session to consider a step II grievance procedure. The next Sheboygan Falls Common Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City Hall Municipal Building.