MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Council unanimously approved pay range increases for certain non-bargaining personnel belonging to several different divisions at its meeting Tuesday.
Human Resources Director Dave Remy said there are currently 57 non-bargaining employees under the mayor’s control, 55 of whom will be getting pay raises. Two of them are not because they’ve either been moved to a higher position, or they’ve been hired within the last 12 months, and policy says pay raises are not to be given in those scenarios.
Between 45 and 47 employees will get 1.5 percent pay raises; the remaining employees will receive approximately 3-percent raises because of taking on additional duties, Remy said.
Remy shared this in response to Third Ward Councilman Jon Van Harlingen’s concerns about the pay range increases, saying some reflect a 9-percent increase, or higher.
“To me this looks like a blank check,” Van Harlingen said.
Remy said that nobody is going to “cap out” and receive more than an approximate 3-percent pay raise.
He explained that the adjustments were made to help “clean up” the legislation, which should be done on annual basis, but hasn’t been since June 2015.
“In looking at the comprehensive ordinance, we had crooked numbers on some of our caps, and crooked numbers don’t make sense to me,” Remy said.
As an example, he pointed to the operations supervisor position in the airport division, which had a cap of $62,212.
“Why would you have a cap at $62,212? Why not round it up to an even number in the hundreds,” he asked.
Since the pay scale and position ordinance was passed in 2015, there have been 12 amendments to it, he said.
“It’s time to clean it up,” he said.
Van Harlingen was concerned that with the passage of this legislation, the administration would then have the authority to green light pay raises higher than 1.5 or 3 percent, even though the money isn’t in the budget.
But Remy said that’s not the administration’s intent, adding that this isn’t a smoke-and-mirrors situation.
Speaking his personal opinion, Remy said, “Are there people that maybe need to be adjusted more than 1.5 or 3 percent? Absolutely if you look across the board. But is that going to happen? I think I can stand here and say no it’s not because that’s the stance that’s been taken by the mayor and his administration.”
Mayor Tim Theaker affirmed Remy’s statement, saying, “I have committed to the 1.5 percent.”
“That is what Director Remy and I promise, and it will not change.”
Remy said he’ll return to council in February or March to discuss upgrades to non-bargaining personnel’s benefits, which haven’t been upgraded in three years, he said.
Council approved pay range increases for certain personnel in these divisions: airport, building maintenance, certified building, Clearfork Reservoir, community development, information technology, engineering, finance, fire (civilian and safety), human resources, law, municipal court, the department of regional community advancement, parks and recreation, police (safety and civilian), public safety communications center, public safety-service department, service complex, sewer repair, streets, utility collections, vehicle repair and maintenance, wastewater treatment, water repair and water treatment. Pay range increases were also approved for the clerk of council, assistant clerk of council and the mayor’s administrative assistant.
Click here to see the changes (Bill 17-241).
Claims
Council approved three claims.
One was in the amount of $500 to Robert and Lou Ardis of Sidra Enterprises in Mansfield for damages to their rental property at 445 McPherson St. caused by city crews when a backhoe hit a tree and electrical lines last summer.
Another was in the sum of $250 to Mansfield resident Jamie Wood Schacherer for damage to her vehicle caused by a probationer exiting a city-owned vehicle in August.
The third claim was for $260.92 to Mansfield resident Sekina Beasley for damage to her vehicle caused by an accident with a Mansfield fire truck in October.
Bret Snavely
Council took time to honor Capt. Bret M. Snavely upon his retirement from the Mansfield Police Department. Snavely served in law enforcement for 34 years.
Clearfork Campgrounds
Council also considered a new proposal regarding the Clearfork Campgrounds that raises the seasonal camping rate from $1,000 to $1,900. The proposed fees for winter storage and dock rental are $150 and $340, respectively.
This is less than the original proposal that council tabled at its last meeting, which set the seasonal camping rate at $2,200, winter storage at $160, and floating dock charge at $380.
Look for more on this topic later.
