CLAYPOOL – Agreeing that his pay was woefully low for a full-time employee, Claypool Town Council approved a raise for Marshal Lou Mediano Monday. Council members voted for a 2013 salary ordinance that includes a salary of $42,000 for Mediano, a bump from his previous $28,000. They said it brings his pay in line with that of other full-time positions: The town superintendent will receive $51,000 in 2013 and the wastewater supervisor $46,000. The 2013 salary ordinance includes a 3-percent increase for most town employees, except the clerk-treasurer and council members. Mediano’s salary increase came at the suggestion of new Clerk-Treasurer Connie Morgan, who council unanimously appointed during a special meeting Oct. 18 to replace Miccah Shepherd, who moved out of town. Morgan told the council the wage disparity was brought to her attention while training under Shelly Thomas. The council approved $1,250 to pay Thomas Monday. “I’ve seen (Mediano’s) paycheck stub. It’s sad,” Thomas remarked to the council. Much of the marshal’s extra pay is a transfer of $5,200 from the deputy fund, which the town has not used in recent years. Council members agreed that Mediano deserved the extra pay now that he has completed several months of training with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, and noted that while Mediano has made an oral agreement to stay with Claypool, the extra enticement couldn’t hurt. Also during the meeting, the council approved the $10,000 purchase of a new water pump, minus $6,999 from an insurance check for old equipment that was damaged by lightning; and approved two agreements that would move the wastewater plant toward compliance for E. coli treatment. The upgrades are needed to meet Indiana Department of Environmental Management requirements as part of licensure of the plant. The council approved an approximately $90,000 plan for Jones and Henry Engineers to construct a small building to house chlorine pumps and perform other upgrades, and a $6,000 agreement with Bruce Carter Associates to develop a regulatory manual for E. coli treatment for the town.
