GALION, Ohio — The benefits of hiring a public information officer will be apparent right away, Galion Mayor Tom O’Leary said Monday.
During Galion’s Oct. 27 city council meeting, the council passed legislation to hire a PIO, 6-1. Council member Susan Bean had the dissenting vote. She was concerned with the position’s pay, stating it was fiscally irresponsible to pay a PIO $56,700.
According to the ordinance language, a total of $4,800 will be transferred monthly from the safety services subsection of the general fund over to the mayor’s subsection of the general fund. Bean stated that the amount is too much for the position.
“What’s $4,800 times 12? … $56,700,” said Bean. “I find that fiscally irresponsible. “I don’t think that we need state-run media,” she added.
However, O’Leary said that amount is incorrect.
According to O’Leary, Galion’s PIO will make $13.50 per hour at 35 hours per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks the PIO would earn $24,570 per year.
In addition to the yearly pay, the individual will receive worker’s compensation benefits, which amounts to $4,054, said O’Leary. Also, if the individual opted for full family insurance coverage, that amounts to another $22,000, he said.
If the individual hired opted for the single’s insurance plan, the $22,000 figure would drop to approximately $7,600.
With full benefits, the total pay would be $50,625 dollars, according to O’Leary, or $36,224 if the individual hired opts for the single insurance plan.
Additionally, the cost of the PIO will likely be split in four ways, said O’Leary, because the PIO will work with different areas of the city’s government, including the utilities department.
“Three utility funds and the city’s general fund,” said O’Leary. “A lot of the necessary information that citizens need to know have to do with utility issues. With more labors hours we can do a better job of explaining those kinds of issues.”
O’Leary said the PIO position has been in the works for a few months. But the need became more essential when the local daily paper decreased their publishing dates to twice weekly, he said.
“All small towns, particularly those who have lost their daily paper, need to do something to increase the amount of information that’s readily available in the community,” said O’Leary. “I don’t think it’s irresponsible.”
O’Leary said there is one individual who has applied for the position. He did not disclose their identity. The position was posted on Galion’s website on Oct. 28; it ends Nov. 20.
Those interested in applying are encouraged to fill out an application and send it, with a resume, to 301 Harding Way East, Galion, OH 44833, to the attention of Mayor Tom O’Leary.
