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| 3/27/2009 12:16:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Aldermen may consider salary hikes
Wills suggests city pay for cell phone service
Linda Kellett
Recorder News Staff
As the governmental body that holds the city's purse-strings, aldermen Thursday night briefly considered salary hikes for themselves during the upcoming fiscal year.
Common Council members took no action on the matter but may address it at a later budget meeting.
It's the outset of an election year for each of the city aldermen; and officials initially had no comment when City Clerk Susan Alibozek said there is no change in their salary schedule in the upcoming year's budget.
As in 2008-09, each alderman is budgeted to receive an annual salary of $5,000.
Fourth Ward Alderman William Wills asked his colleagues for their views on an increase.
Mayor Ann Thane expressed the view that a raise wasn't "going to happen."
Wills agreed with her, adding, "But I think one consideration that should be made - I don't know about the rest of you - but we have cell phones, our own cell phones, that we use for the business here."
He claimed - and was challenged - on his view that everyone else in the building "gets a cell phone."
Thane noted code enforcement officers are among those city employees without cell phones; and Controller Heather Reynicke said only about 13 people in City Hall have cell phones.
Wills said, "We're elected officials. I think we're a little different than the code enforcement officials."
Thane said, "No disrespect, but I would really rather have my building inspectors have a cell phone."
In defense of his request, Wills noted aldermen have been at the same salary level since around the turn of the decade "and probably prior to that."
Additionally, in recent years, he alleged aldermen have actually experienced a decrease in salaries and benefits.
He said, "I'm not requesting a salary increase, but we used to get benefits. We don't get them. We gave those up. That was to the tune of $3,500 to $5,000 average a piece additional monies on top of the salary; and now we can't get a measly cell phone payment a month that's basically being paid servicing the public."
Thane acknowledged she still receives a health insurance benefit.
In the absence of a motion to change the budget proposal, the mayor prepared to move on to the next presentation.
She said, "You are the council and you can do as you please, but if you're just discussing it and not making a motion to change it ..."
In reply, Wills said, "We'll come back to it."
Following the meeting, 1st Ward Alderman Joseph Isabel said he liked Wills' cell phone suggestion and joked that it might give city officials better contact with the various city departments as it's sometimes difficult to make contact with employees through the regular phone system.
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