Manchester Eyes Town Salaries
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jen [email protected]
Wednesday night at its regular meeting, the North Manchester Town Council approved the first reading of a salary ordinance that would give all town employees a 2-percent raise.
However, the issue was not without discussion.[[In-content Ad]]Board member James Smith asked to amend the ordinance, changing the pay increase, across the board, to zero percent and revisit it at a later date.
"First I want to make it clear that I feel that the employees of North Manchester are doing one heck of a job," Smith said. "I have no complaints with the job they are doing, I just feel it is not the time to increase salaries across the board."
Smith said that there are many people out of jobs and businesses are closing, and he feels that it is not a good time. He also said that the town expects health insurance rates to increase, and he would like to wait to see if the town could keep the salaries the same and pay the difference in insurance cost.
Board member Laura Rager said since the town does not know what the insurance situation was going to be, "it seems more prudent to give employees some extra money in their pockets to cover the insurance costs."
Rager also said the North Manchester town employees are not at the top of the pay scale when compared to surrounding communities, and she does not want to see the town lose good employees due to low pay.
The vote on the amendment to the salary ordinance was defeated 3-2, with Smith and Thomas Dale voting for it and Rager, Diane Haupert and council president Chris Garber voting against it.
Before the board voted on the salary ordinance, Smith said, "I am going to vote for (the salary ordinance) simply because what I proposed did not carry today."
The salary ordinance was approved unanimously on its first reading. However, the ordinance can be amended before the second or third reading if necessary.
In other business, the council:
n Approved a motion to pay a $37,467 change order for work on the town's second water tower. The water plant project is nearly finished, but Superintendent of Public Works John Mugford does not want the council to sign off on the project's substantial completion until some issues with the building blocks are resolved.
n Gave Mugford permission to advertise for bids on a new backhoe. Mugford said the old backhoe, which is a 1994 model, is starting to need expensive repairs and a replacement makes more sense. The cost of the backhoe will be divided between the water, sewer and storm water budgets.
Wednesday night at its regular meeting, the North Manchester Town Council approved the first reading of a salary ordinance that would give all town employees a 2-percent raise.
However, the issue was not without discussion.[[In-content Ad]]Board member James Smith asked to amend the ordinance, changing the pay increase, across the board, to zero percent and revisit it at a later date.
"First I want to make it clear that I feel that the employees of North Manchester are doing one heck of a job," Smith said. "I have no complaints with the job they are doing, I just feel it is not the time to increase salaries across the board."
Smith said that there are many people out of jobs and businesses are closing, and he feels that it is not a good time. He also said that the town expects health insurance rates to increase, and he would like to wait to see if the town could keep the salaries the same and pay the difference in insurance cost.
Board member Laura Rager said since the town does not know what the insurance situation was going to be, "it seems more prudent to give employees some extra money in their pockets to cover the insurance costs."
Rager also said the North Manchester town employees are not at the top of the pay scale when compared to surrounding communities, and she does not want to see the town lose good employees due to low pay.
The vote on the amendment to the salary ordinance was defeated 3-2, with Smith and Thomas Dale voting for it and Rager, Diane Haupert and council president Chris Garber voting against it.
Before the board voted on the salary ordinance, Smith said, "I am going to vote for (the salary ordinance) simply because what I proposed did not carry today."
The salary ordinance was approved unanimously on its first reading. However, the ordinance can be amended before the second or third reading if necessary.
In other business, the council:
n Approved a motion to pay a $37,467 change order for work on the town's second water tower. The water plant project is nearly finished, but Superintendent of Public Works John Mugford does not want the council to sign off on the project's substantial completion until some issues with the building blocks are resolved.
n Gave Mugford permission to advertise for bids on a new backhoe. Mugford said the old backhoe, which is a 1994 model, is starting to need expensive repairs and a replacement makes more sense. The cost of the backhoe will be divided between the water, sewer and storm water budgets.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092