Aldermen approve higher pay cap for public-works director, table some clerk decisions

At its March 11 meeting, the Decatur Board of Aldermen voted to raise the public-works director pay maximum and to require water-plant certification for the position, actions the board said are intended to attract qualified candidates and ensure a certified secondary operator at the plant.

The mayor and board members said certified operators are difficult to recruit at current pay scales. A motion to increase the public-works director maximum to $70,000 and require plant-operator certification was made, seconded and recorded as passing with the aldermen voting in favor.

Separately, the board engaged in a prolonged discussion about the assistant recorder/assistant reporter position and whether to abolish or re-title it, redistribute accounts-payable duties among existing clerks, or maintain current staffing. Recorder Laura described the workload tied to grants, payroll and water-system software and urged the board to avoid cuts that would compromise institutional knowledge.

Because members disagreed about the timing and scope of salary reductions, a motion was made to table decisions on Clerk 1/2/3 salaries and on hiring a Clerk 1; that procedural motion passed. Later in the meeting an alderman moved to leave the Clerk 1/2/3 salary schedule as currently adopted and that motion also passed. The board directed staff to continue interviews for Clerk 1 but to hold final hiring until the board reconvenes on the issue.

Votes on personnel motions were taken by roll call; staff said they will return with clarified position descriptions and a hiring timeline.