Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The advertised salary ordinance for elected city officials will reflect a 3 percent increase, but the legislation doesn't have to be approved until December.
The 2005 salary levels are given as "not to exceed" amounts: $56,767 for the mayor; $47,996 for the clerk-treasurer; and $4,780 per year for each of the seven councilmen.
Council president Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades and Bob Morrison said they didn't want or need a raise but were in favor of an increase for the mayor and clerk.
"I have no problem with the mayor and clerk getting a raise," said Patterson. "I don't need one. Let's set an example as council members. We should drop the city's insurance, too."
"Three percent of what we make isn't much." said Morrison, who gives his council salary to charity.
Rhoades said he didn't want a raise either. "The clerk does a good job. I might go with a 3 percent raise. I'm afraid the intake of dollars this year will be way below what we pay out. Not for the 6 percent raises, either. You give bonuses for certified employees and have handed out big merit raises already. Those are going to hit us hard."
Councilman Charlie Smith commented that the council did not take a salary increase last year.
"I'm still very concerned about increases," said councilman Jeff Grose. "Three percent raises plus benefits adds up to 6 percent, to 8 percent. I see this monster continuing to grow. I just don't think we should give a 6 percent raise.
"Any across-the-board raise we give employees we should give ourselves. Our work, the decisions we make, are just as important.
"I didn't get into this business (of being a councilman) to get paid, to get insurance. I got into it to be a public servant. The $4,700 helps with the grocery bill," Grose said.
"I take a contrary view. We have to take care of our employees," said Smith. "The [insurance] task force did a good job. The way we keep the roads, snow removal, parks, makes the style of life in Warsaw desirable. Wages aren't that significant an increase. In a $14 million budget, the increases exceeding 3 percent are $12,000."
At the last meeting, eight employees were recommended for merit raises of 4 percent or more. Three employees were recommended to get a 10 percent raise. The council voted on a 6 percent cap.
Morrison commented that the policy book offers insurance to employees who work 35 or more hours a week.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins said the insurance policy booklet says elected officials are covered.
Clerk Elaine Call said elected officials are not eligible for long- or short-term disability insurance.
"The number of hours you work has no bearing," Wiggins said. "It's still your decision."
Councilman Joe Thallemer said any raise less than 3.125 percent didn't meet the consumer price index increase. He wants the human resources director to come up with a way to measure merit raises.
"It's not quite fair for us to micro-manage and it's something we face every year," he said. "It's wrong to ignore those who have gone above or beyond expectations and we're getting knocked for knocking our insurance costs down."
Wiggins said he will ask department heads to take a hard look at expenditures for the rest of the year, not to spend what doesn't need to be spent, and to take a real hard look at the 2005 budget.
"Look at other requests before you look at salaries and wages," he said. Taxing bodies are to use 2002 levies to figure their budgets because of the state's reassessment. The 2002 levy was $0.96. Call said the 2005 budget would have to be cut $1.6 million to meet 2002 levels.
The maximum levy will be advertised at $7.7 million, "which is high," Call said, "and it's always advertised high." The city's net assessed valuation is given as $788,764,513 for 2005. This year's valuation was $876,495,015.
The clerk suggested no raises for part-time employees and no additional employees be added to payroll.
Thallemer said he figured the 3 percent increase added up to $182,000.
Grose said his figure for 3 percent raises was $185,000.
"Last year's raise and additional $1,500 for insurance benefits meant $440,000. That didn't go away," Grose said. "In 2000, the police department paid $223,000 for insurance, in 2004 $404,000; the fire department paid $134,000 in 2000, and $279,000 in 2004; the street department paid $129,000 in 2000 and $293,000 in 2004; the park department paid $64,000 in 2000 and $123,000 in 2004.
"Those are alarming numbers. I'm all for a 3 percent increase, that's a good control. But we're not staying within 3 percent."
A public hearing regarding the budget is set for Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. at city hall. The advertised budget, $17,784,783, appears in Friday's Times-Union.
City council members are Jeff Grose, Bob Morrison, Jerry Patterson, Bill Rhoades, Charlie Smith, Joe Thallemer and George Clemens. Clemens was absent.
