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Council adopts 2018 general fund budget with amendment to fund council pay increase
Summary
The Common Council approved the 2018 general fund budget after adopting an amendment to transfer contingency funds to cover a proposed 2% increase in council salaries, per diem and Social Security contributions; councilors noted an ordinance change will be required before raises take effect.
The Common Council voted Sept. 19 to adopt the 2018 general fund budget as amended to allocate money for a 2% increase in council salaries, a per-diem adjustment and Social Security contributions.
Councilor Olsen proposed transferring funds from contingency to cover the increases. The clerk provided line-item figures the council recorded into the meeting: a 2% salary increase estimated at $960, a per diem of $380 and Social Security costs of $102. Olsen moved the amendment with a second; the amendment passed by voice vote.
Councilors debated when any pay increases would take effect. The presiding officer and city attorney noted that an ordinance change would be necessary to implement raises and that state statute restricts councilors from voting for a raise during their own term; today's action only allocated the funds in the budget, not an immediate ordinance change.
Councilors offered views on longer-term fiscal planning. Councilor Sweeney said she would vote for the budget but urged the council to begin planning for potential cuts in coming years. Councilor Faenci commended Mayor Payne and department heads for producing a budget that maintains services and includes employee raises, calling it "exciting" for Superior.
After discussion, the council adopted the main motion to approve the 2018 general fund budget as amended by voice vote. The council also scheduled the statutorily required public hearing on the budget for the next regular meeting on Oct. 3.
