HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 01-13 Council tables pay vote THE REVIEW Council tablesp Y a vote
by Scott Carlson department head level"the 1976 proposal public sector to follow since public
Maplewood city councilmen last makes a start to resolve that problem, salaries are now starting to overtake
Thursday night temporarily sidestepped Miller said.He added that a lot of study private industry's salaries.
the controversial yearly setting of ad- has been given to the salaries. "What it says is that somewhere
ministrative department salaries by "The figures indicate that Maplewood someone in the public sector has to say
tabling their decisions until this Thursday on the basis of department head or upper 'No',"Bruton said.
night. staff salaries compared with other The mayor also pointed out that"our
The absence of councilman Norman cities...are low,"Miller said. budget isn't balanced.We're going to the
Anderson from the discussion figured into But Mayor Robert Bruton and coun- legislature asking for help to balance our
the council's action to table.But an ap- cilmen Burton Murdock and John Greavu budget.
parent lack of consensus also seemed to contended that in a period of high Bruton proposed that there be an across
enter into the council decision. unemployment many similar ad- the board increase for the department
Tabled were decisions on the salaries ministrators in the private sector are heads of$145 a month or a 9.25 percent
for police sergeants,department heads fortunate to keep their jobs let alone boost. Greavu proposed that those
and some non-unit supervisory employees receive large salary raises. department heads earning $18,000 or
including the deputy chief, the fire "What amazes me is that all of industry more receive a$100 a month increase and
marshal, the police lieutenant, deputy is cutting back or giving no raises and those under$18,000 receive a$150 monthly
health officer and the director of here we come out with this money," increase.
emergency preparedness. Greavu said."It makes me sick." Murdock, who said the problem in
Proposed salaries for the police Bruton said that the tendency for setting salaries has snowballed,
sergeants and other non-unit ad- private industry to give smaller raises at suggested a five or six percent increase,
ministrators would average about a nine the top should establish a trend for the But Miller Said that hike would mean that
percent increase compared to 1975. he would be earning less than last year
City Manager Michael Miller, in when considering increases for social
presenting a team proposal on depart- security and tax deductions.
ment head salaries and his own pay, Only Councilman Donald Wiegert
asked the council to consider a$185 a seemed receptive to the staff proposal on
month increase for 1976,an 11.1 percent department head salaries."I guess if I
average hike. - Athletic group thought holding salaries down in
Proposed salaries for department Maplewood would stop the world I
heads include: $25,992 for the public would,"he said."But I don't see it hap-
works director; $24,120 for the public meets Thursday sexing."
safety director; $21,744 for the finance Wiegert said he would support Bruton's
director; $20,700 for the community proposal as long as the staff proposal did
development director; $19,393 for the The annual general meeting of not seem agreeable to the other coun-
community services director;$16,488 for the Maplewood Athletic Association cilmen.He warned that if the city put a
the city clerk and$12,920 for the personnel is scheduled for Thursday,Jan.15 ceiling on department head salaries that
officer. at 7 p.m.in the Gladstone school the city could lose its personnel."You're
Miller is asking the council to increase library,Frost and Manton. asking for it to happen,"he noted.
his salary from$24,000 to$26,220,an in- All MAA members are urged to Wiegert was supportive of the staff
crease of 9.25 percent. attend. proposal because it had not been"a one
While "it is understood that many man job but a team effort and that was
inequities still remain within the what we had asked for in the past."