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Gladwin City Council approves $70,000 starting salary for DPW director amid union negotiations
Summary
The Gladwin City Council voted 5-2 on June 16 to raise the starting salary for the city’s public works director to $70,000 after hearing that current DPW employees earn more than a supervisor would; the move came as union representatives and public commenters flagged ongoing contract negotiations.
The Gladwin City Council voted June 16 to increase the starting compensation for the city’s public works director to $70,000, a change council members said was necessary because several DPW employees currently earn more than a supervisor would.
Interim City Manager Kimberly Hines told the council the salary increase is intended to make the supervisor position internally equitable after interviews for the DPW director post. Council Member Platt moved to approve the increase and Council Member Winarski seconded the motion. The measure passed on a roll call vote: Ayes — Crawford, Darlington, Gutierrez, Platt, Winarski; Nays — Esiline, Sischo; Absent — Caffrey.
The salary figure was presented in dollars and cents in the meeting record as seventy thousand dollars ($70,000.00). Council members who voted in favor said the raise reflected pay pressures within the DPW classification and the need to attract a qualified director; dissenting members expressed reservations before recording their no votes.
The vote came during a broader exchange about the DPW contract. Union Representative Kevin Besonen addressed the council to give information on negotiations, and a member of the public, Kathy Swingle, voiced concern that the DPW contract “had not been completed.” Interim City Manager Kimberly Hines told the council the negotiations were at an impasse and that mediation would be the next step in the bargaining process.
The council did not tie the compensation decision to a specific contract change in the meeting record; the action was limited to approving the salary increase for the director position. There was no formal amendment to union contract language recorded at the meeting. The city will proceed with the hiring process for the DPW director with the newly approved starting salary.
The council is scheduled to meet again June 25, 2025, when members will consider budget amendments; the fiscal year ends June 30, 2025.
