January 7, 2013 - Employee Committee Meeting

EMPLOYEE COMMITTEE MEETING

JANUARY 7, 2012

6:00pm

 

Mayor Mike Schwab

Chairman Dave Duff

Council/Board Member Sherri Bichsel

Council/Board Steven Tharp, Jr.

Councilman Tom Hilliard

Councilman Jay Huff

Clerk-Treasurer Kris King

 

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Dave Duff.

 

Chairman Duff went over suggested modifications to the pending wage ordinance.

 

Tharp discussed cutting transfers out of the General Fund to shore up for the increases.  He also suggested a set dollar amount instead of a percentage.

 

Bichsel stated rolling over the stipends into the base will help the separations between superintendents and village technicians.

 

Duff stated that uniforms should be returned when an employee leaves Village employment.  Huff disagreed.

 

Tharp said he could support the increases as long as they were set dollar amounts with changes also made to the General Fund transfers.

 

Duff discussed the $ 15,000 transfer to the Fire Equipment Fund.

 

Huff stated he feels the water and electric are fine but is concerned about the sewer and general funds.  He thinks in a couple of years the village will regret giving these raises now.  He said that Duff didn't talk to him.  Duff said he tried.  Huff doesn't understand why the Village would give part time employees raises.  He also doesn't understand why only the higher ups at the fire dept are getting raises.  The mayor and clerk stated the entire fire dept were getting raises according to the proposed ordinance.  Huff said he didn't understand why the Village would give bonuses.  He stated he would have liked to have talked to the committee before now.  Duff stated he tried to talk to everyone.

 

Bichsel agrees with Huff on the bonuses.  How are you going to determine who gets what fairly.  She ask Huff to come up with some numbers and bring to Council.

 

Hilliard said the bonus could be the equivalent of what a 2% raise would be but would only be given after the year is complete.  It is just a delay.

 

Godwin said if you can't take it to the bank when you apply for a loan then it isn't a raise.

 

Huff said he was interested in the General Fund.  He has had people say they would rather have a fifth full time cop, even through he voted against it, than have a raise.

 

Tharp said the argument on the General Fund only holds water if the only source of income for the General Fund is the State.

 

Huff stated this is all mindboggling to him.  He stated Council is management and they need to think like management.

 

Hilliard stated the former Council was more than fair with wages and this Council has been more than fair with health insurance.

 

VA Hartman would like his bonus spread out over the entire year otherwise the taxes are going to eat up his bonus.

 

Huff says it's not a bonus unless the Village pays all the taxes on it.

 

Duff stated they were gonna lose more on a bonus.

 

Tharp stated the employees received  $.30 to $.40 the last 3 years.  Bichsel stated it had been $.40.  Tharp would like to look at $.30 to $.40. 

 

Duff received an email concerning  $ 1,000 stipend for neighborhood watch officer.

 

Tharp said Council needs to be open minded, not just say no.

 

Huff said it is not concerned about 2013 - Council is wanting another Fire Levy and a Street Levy and somewhere down the road will need a Police Levy.

 

Tharp said to make it $.40 across the board.

 

VA Hartman said it's fair but not equal.

 

Mayor Schwab stated it is not fair to the people that hold the responsibility.

 

Duff stated to take out the $ 1,000 for the neighborhood watch program.

 

Mayor Schwab reminded Council of his proposal to separate the wages from the benefits.  He changed the wording on the Chief's Pay.  He also discussed the need to have no more than one employee scheduled off (vacation/comp time) at one time.

 

Huff described how the selection of the vacation weeks should be scheduled during the first three months.  Then it would be on a first come, first serve basis.

 

Duff suggested to get FMLA handouts for all the employees.  VA Hartman stated that it is in the employee handbook.

 

Meeting adjourned at 6:57pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

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Chairman Dave Duff