09-08-03 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 84 2003 Councilmember Aranowski made a motion for favorable recommendation to full Council concerning this bill. Councilmember Pfeifer seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of seven (7) ayes and one (1) nay vote by Councilmember Kirsits. BILL NO. 67 -03 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL FIXING MAXIMUM SALARIES AND WAGES OF APPOINTED OFFICERS AND NON - BARGAINING EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2004 Councilmember Aranowski, Chairperson, Personnel & Finance Committee, reported that this committee held a Public Hearing on this bill this afternoon and sends it to the Council with a favorable recommendation. Mayor Luecke made the presentation for this bill. Mayor Luecke offered an amendment to this bill by asking that the positions of Executive Director - Hall of Fame and Manager -Sales Hall of Fame be deleted from the ordinance as these positions are no longer part of the City's payroll. Councilmember Aranowski made a motion to consider the amended version of this bill. Councilmember White seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of eight (8) ayes. Mayor Luecke asked for the Council's favorable consideration of this amended ordinance. The salaries listed are maximums in each category. The non - bargaining increase is four per cent (4 %) across the board. There are a few positions which have a larger increase due to increased responsibilities in those positions. In response to a question asked earlier in the day, he noted that eight (8) positions, not categories, have been eliminated. Ten (10) spots were added and eighteen (18) were deleted for a net savings of around two hundred twenty -seven thousand dollars ($227,000.00). Mayor Luecke stated that employees work extremely hard and effectively for residents and citizens and he is pleased to be able to offer a raise of four per cent (4 %) for these individuals. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. There was no one present wishing to speak in favor of this bill. The following individual spoke in opposition to this bill: Ms. Joyce Boaler, address on file in the City Clerk's office, stated that she obj ects to many of these salaries. More than twenty -five (25) of the categories are getting over fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00). There are nine (9) attorneys on the staff. An engineer will receive a 14.07% increase and another a 6.7% increase. City employees pay thirty -six dollars ($36.00) for single health care coverage and ninety -four dollars ($94.00) for family health care coverage which is a plus. They also receive a fifteen thousand dollar ($15,000.00) life insurance policy. There is also a ten per cent .