It seems to be a split decision on the Addison Township Board of Trustees as to whether or not the elected officials and township employees should receive pay raises this year.
At Feb.3 special meeting, officials discussed the matter, but did not reach a final decision as to whether or not they felt pay raises were necessary.
Proposed in their budget for 2007-08, the township wants to include a 3.5 percent pay raise for elected officials and full-time administrative employees, and various other increases for other township employees.
The township treasurer, clerk and supervisor would each receive $1,101 more per year, bringing their salaries to $32,559 (not including benefits).
It is also proposed that the trustees each get bumped from $100 to $110 for regular board meetings, $25 for a special meeting that is on the same night as a regular meeting, and increase from $50 to $60 for special meetings.
According to Addison Treasurer Dan Alberty, the officials and township employees have not had a raise since April 2005. The total cost of the raises would equal $9,000 from their budget.
At the meeting, trustees Ed Brakefield and John Sutphin both disagreed with the idea of a pay raise, stating that it shouldn’t be a top priority, helping residents save money should be Number One.
‘I can’t accept a raise when I’m not doing all I can to keep the taxes down,? Sutphin said.
Brakefield echoed Sutphin’s sentiment and said that ‘I don’t need a trustee pay raise.?
Trustee Claudia Von Drak, on the other hand, said township employees are the ‘most valuable resource? the community has and a pay raise should be a high priority.
‘I’m just saying we’re denying the people that work for this township the opportunity to buy bread like everybody else,? she said. ‘I think we have served well.?
The board plans to further discuss the proposed pay raises on Feb. 19 and possibly take action.
If approved by the board, Addison residents will have the chance to vote on the pay increases for elected officials, not employees, at the township’s annual meeting Saturday, March 31.
Clerk Pauline Bennett said the people attending the annual meeting can vote to approve the pay increases as presented by the board, increase the amounts, decrease the amounts, or not give any raises at all.
If no one attends the annual meeting, whatever action is taken by the township board Feb. 19 would stand, she said.