MOUNT VERNON — Observers typically do not associate the word passion with government meetings, but it was on display when discussing a wage package at Monday’s Mount Vernon City Council meeting.
Council members passed two ordinances increasing compensation for non-bargaining unit city employees and supervisory personnel by 5-2 votes.
Council members Tammy Woods, Employee and Community Relations Committee chair, and Janis Seavolt cast the dissenting votes.
Council moved from tabling the ordinances indefinitely to postponing them to passing them Monday night.
Comments from 11 city employees, including department heads and the police and fire chiefs, seemed to have an effect.
The employee response
Police Chief Robert Morgan said employees have been told for 25 years their pay is in the average range.
“When has the city of Mount Vernon ever advertised come to Mount Vernon because we’re average?” he asked. “No. We’re an above-average town because of the people who live here, and we are an above-average town because of the people who keep our town running.”
Police Capt. Andrew Burns cited difficulties in recruiting, retaining, and advancing officers.
“We are careening toward a crisis in public safety,” he said.
Fire Chief Chad Christopher said, “As public servants, we love what we do and take pride in serving and assisting fellow citizens. But as employees, we don’t want to be held back because we are in public service.”
Fire Prevention Officer Terry Davis noted that surrounding village departments pay more than the city but have fewer runs.
Chris Light said food, housing, and gas are not getting cheaper. Engineers Brian Ball and Quentin Platt agreed that living costs have outpaced wage increases.
“One engineering department employee would qualify for federal aid based on family income,” Ball said.
“It’s getting tiresome,” Tax Administrator Lisa Brown said of the delay in implementing adequate compensation.
Executive Assistant Todd Hill said he has an opportunity to double his pay in Columbus. He will resign on Tuesday if council does not pass the wage package.
Law director Executive Assistant Karen Pritchard advocated for all city employees, citing their hard work and expertise.
“It’s not a raise, it’s getting what I deserve because I’m good at what I do,” she said.
Public Works Director Tom Hinkle said the city will pay higher compensation, whether it is to employees or because he has to hire contractors.
The committee meeting
Woods initially planned to table the ordinances indefinitely. She cited questions on data, communication with department heads who do not fully support the numbers presented, timing issues, and perception.
Additionally, she said that after conferring with Auditor Terry Scott, some of the current salary information is incorrect.
“So I question the basis for starting the compensation when that’s not their current salary,” she said.
Safety-service Director Tanner Salyers said he was “wildly disturbed.”
“We are now in the third reading of this piece of legislation,” he said. “You have before you the people that take care of the people, who have been promised appropriate compensation for years now, and they have not received it.”
Referencing a list of answers to anticipated questions, Salyers said, “I can only provide answers to what you ask me.”
“Where did this data come from? We have an answer to that,” he told Woods. “Why do we need to make these adjustments now? Because we need to be a competitive employer now. We struggle with retaining and recruiting now. It’s not a matter of it’s happening in the future; it’s happening now.”
Salyers said employees staying because they like Mount Vernon only goes so far.
“Eventually, liking Mount Vernon it’s going to not be enough,” he said. “So I come to you as council and say that you’re going to table this for more questions?”
“Absolutely,” Woods responded. “As chair of this committee, this was put on the agenda two meetings ago, and I didn’t even get a phone call that it was being put on, let alone information on it.
“We’re given data that we’re supposed to base our decisions on. We count on you as administration to to give us the data we need to make good decisions.”
Conflicting information
Councilman Mike Miller noted council gets conflicting information and has heard revenue might go down.
“I think to move this forward, council wants to hear from the auditor, the treasurer, and city,” he said. “And hopefully hear updated information from the Clemens Nelson folks on how [the compensation recommendation] was all put together.
“For council to make a decision, we need open, valid, and the best information possible from all.”
He said council does not have that.
More information
Councilwoman Amber Keener questioned why the city was paying for an updated Clemons Nelson study if council is not utilizing that data to make decisions.
“The current data that is going to come in is not going to be lower,” Salyers said.
He said funding the compensation is a matter of re-appropriating funds.
“The question is, do you have the stomach to appropriately compensate the people that help the people?” he asked. “Do you have the stomach to authorize and direct this administration and the auditor to do our jobs and take care of these people? Or are you going to table it, and say, well, we need more questions answered and then not ask the questions?”
“What do I say to the public to somebody who’s getting a 36.7% increase?” Woods asked. “And don’t call it an adjustment. It is a raise.”
“You will tell them that they haven’t received that adjustment at a market rate for years,” Salyers responded. “You will tell them that if that person leaves and gets paid to go somewhere else to get compensated appropriately at another municipality or in the private sector where they’ll make twice as much, similarly as to what we did in the wastewater plant, we will sit there empty eight months.”
Councilman James Mahan said council needs to address the salary issues and not “kick the can down the road.”
“And it can’t be a little phase-in,” he said.
Keener said some positions need the proposed raise. Noting qualifications and degrees are important and should be well compensated, she said council needs to be able to explain why these individuals qualify for these pay scales.
She wants to see the entire Clemens Nelson packet which addresses those issues.
“Overall, I do think we have to make this adjustment,” she said. “I don’t think 3% increases over three years is going to get us there.”
The vote
Woods moved to postpone the first ordinance.
Mahan, Miller, and Councilman Mel Severns voted no. They acknowledged council did not have perfect information but had good enough information.
Mahan said it is incumbent on the administration and department heads to “make it fit.”
Keener and Councilman John Ruckman also voted no.
Seavolt said she believes the employees are worth more than the city can pay but said the city also has to stay within its budget.
“I don’t want to pay you more, and then we are bankrupt and can’t make the next raises, and then we get into a financial problem,” she said. “I want to see the money so I can give them their money and know they’re going to be secure in getting paychecks afterward.”
Woods asked Scott if he was confident the city could afford the compensation package.
Scott said, “It would not be in my best interest at this time,” reiterating “at this time.”
He said he had not calculated the amounts and was not involved in the discussions or calculations.
Additionally, he noticed some information “does not appear to be quite accurate.”
“Everybody in this room needs to communicate. Everybody needs to be on the same page,” Severns said.
“I’m going to vote to move this through believing we have enough brain power and cordiality to meet together and resolve this in a professional way so that we can take care of these people.”
Woods said that as chair, she had to ask the questions she was given.
“There is nothing in my soul against what you do,” she told the employees. “I know what you do. I understand how hard you work and what you’re worth.”
