Golf Manor Finance Committee backs idea for standard pay when employees fill vacant roles

Speaker 1 proposed that the village adopt a standardized ordinance to pay employees who temporarily fill other salaried roles so compensation is predictable and timely. He said the intent is to avoid ad‑hoc bonuses and backdating of pay and suggested a formula, using one quarter of the vacant position’s salary as a working example: “Say the chief of police’s salary is $100,000 a year. If Captain Reed were to fill that role for a whole year… he would be entitled to $25,000.”

Members discussed how to treat partial coverage of duties: Speaker 1 and others mentioned possible fractions (one‑sixth to one‑eighth) for partial responsibilities and the idea of designating an assistant to receive additional pay during such periods. Speaker 5, speaking as someone who currently covers chief duties by job description in short absences, asked for a clear metric for when supplemental pay would kick in, and whether brief absences (such as a two‑week vacation) should trigger payment. “I think there has to be a metric put in place to say, when does this begin?” Speaker 5 said.

The panel weighed administrative burdens as well. Speaker 1 said he did not want monthly council approval for each instance, calling that “too much,” and favored a set‑and‑forget formula that staff could apply automatically. Speaker 3 agreed the policy should be seamless and calculated so it does not “bog down” the agenda or create perceived favoritism.

The committee did not adopt language or a final rate; members broadly agreed on the principle of a standard percentage and asked that the executive committee draft specific ordinance language and calculations for future review. The committee’s next step is to request that executive staff prepare draft legislation and implementation details for a future meeting.