Germantown committee recommends market adjustment for finance director; full board to decide

The Village of Germantown General Government & Finance Committee voted 2-1 to recommend a market-adjustment pay increase for the finance director to the full Village Board. Administrator Craig Lowe made the request at the committee meeting and said the increase is needed to keep the position competitive.

Lowe told the committee, “I am requesting a pay increase for the finance director position,” and presented comparative data showing a local average finance-director salary of $115,000 versus Germantown’s $87,173. He also cited recent job postings that listed starting salaries near $101,613.

The request was framed as a retention measure. Lowe and other staff described the finance director’s local experience, knowledge of the village’s Tyler Munis financial system and role leading budget and audit work as reasons the village should retain the current employee rather than risk a more costly external hire.

Trustees who opposed the timing said the village faces immediate budget pressures and that a raise should be addressed during the formal budget process. One committee member said the village is facing an approximately $600,000 budget gap and urged delaying pay increases until the budget is finalized.

The committee’s affirmative recommendation means the Village Board must approve any pay change; Lowe noted the finance director’s salary is set by ordinance and requires board action. The motion to forward the recommendation passed 2-1 and will appear on the Village Board agenda for final action.

Discussion only: committee members debated the timing and fiscal impact; no budgetary appropriation for future years was made at the committee level. Direction: staff will place the committee recommendation on the Village Board agenda. Decision: the committee voted to recommend the market-adjustment increase to the Village Board (2-1 vote).