Committee narrowly approves raises for seasonal laborers and wellness center aide, sends resolution to council

The Salary & Personnel Committee voted to forward a resolution recommending a $0.50 hourly increase for part-time seasonal laborers and a $1.00 hourly increase for the wellness center office aide to the Common Council and to Finance & Taxation for inclusion in the 2025 budget. The chair read the resolution aloud and the committee recorded roll-call votes with Alder Cleveland voting No and Alders Trueheart and Wharton Wyler voting Aye; the chair announced the motion passed 2–1.

Administrator Wendy presented the two wage requests as miscellaneous wage items for seasonal and temporary staff and said the parks adjustment would cost about $800 while the wellness center change was small in budgetary terms. A staff member described the wellness center office aide duties: "So the office aide wellness center aide is the person who when you come into the senior center and go down to the wellness center, they are the ones at the desks who are responsible for taking some registrations." The staff member said aides typically work 25–30 hours per week and that the increase would equate to roughly $1,200 to $1,300 in annual salary costs for those positions.

The committee debated equity with other roles — one member said he personally thought firefighters might merit higher pay given the risk — and Wendy said the fire chief was reviewing recruitment and departmental needs. The committee voted to forward the resolution; the recommendation will be folded into the budget materials presented to Finance & Taxation and the Common Council for final approval.