By: Charlie Radatz
During its Mon., Nov. 4, meeting the City Council by an 8-0 unanimous vote to adopt a three-year salary and wage schedule granting annual salary and wage increases of three percent annually to management, non-union, and part-time city employees. Under that plan, City Administrator Gary Jorn’s salary will increase from the current $77,324 incrementally to $79,643, $82,033, and $84,494; the Assistant City Administrator’s pay was increased by $2.00 per hour in the first year and successively by three percent in each of the next two years; Utility Superintendent Ray Luhring’s salary will go from the current $74,318 to $76,547, $78,844, and $81,209; and Chief of Police Duane Armbruster’s from the present $70,662 to $72,781, $74,965, and $77,214. The Assistant Chief of Police wages will increase by $2.50 per hour in the first year and by three percent in the successive two years. Annual pay raises of three percent will be granted a part-time certified police officer, a part-time dispatcher, a fire truck driver and a part-time Library Aide with both part-time dispatchers and fire truck drivers with more than five years service starting at the slightly higher rates of $16.77 for part-time dispatchers and $16.03 for fire truck drivers. The Aquatic Park manager’s salary was increased to $2,080 monthly, and all other Aquatic Park employees received three percent pay raises for 2019-20.
The Council voted 7-1 to accept the offer of Dan Pfister to donate his labor for refinishing of the Prichard Auditorium floor with the only cost to the city being the materials used, estimated at $1,393.36. It voted 7-1 to exempt District 56 from the city requirement of replacement of an East 9th Street sidewalk along with South School property.
Administrator Jorn reported city crews are tarring streets and urged citizens to make their job easier by not parking on East-West Streets as the crews work their way south. Jorn said city crews are trimming trees and reminded citizens of the requirement that branches not be lower than 12 feet above streets and eight feet above sidewalks.
Mayor Bindle expressed appreciation to the Hartman and Poppe families for their beautification of the new parking area north of the ballfields.
