MANSFIELD — There were no responses Tuesday night from Mansfield City Council members or members of the administration when a local resident complained about the timing of pay raises for elected officials.
During a council meeting on Jan. 5, it was announced that pay increases for the mayor, finance director, law director and council members — initially thought to take effect in 2022 — instead took effect and were retroactive to January 2020.
In December 2019, council approved the increases by a 5-3 vote on a non-emergency basis. However, Mayor Tim Theaker obtained an outside legal opinion from former Law Director Reese Mills that the raises could be implemented without having to wait.
During the public participation portion of Tuesday’s online meeting, 6th Ward Councilwoman Kimberly Moton read an emailed letter from Cliffbrook Drive resident Deborah Mount.
“I was surprised to hear the City overruled their legislative rules and ordinances and the pay raises for the elected officials would instead be in effect currently,” Mount wrote.
Legal opinion regarding pay increases
Pending legislation 011921
“It sounds as though this decision was made allegedly without Council’s knowledge. I would like to know:
“1) Who made the decision to pursue immediate raises?
“2) How much did the legal matter cost?
“3) Why was this done when the City is also complaining of dire financial straits this year?
“As I said when you voted on the raises, I’m not opposed to you all getting raises, but when you are doing it at the same time you are saying the City is on the brink of financial disaster again it is very poor taste, bad leadership, and I’m confident the voters will remember this.
“Since this situation would have involved the expenditure of our tax dollars, I would like an accounting for what occurred and why,” Mount wrote.
Council and administration members offered no response to Mount’s questions and at-large Councilman Phil Scott, who led the meeting as president pro-tem, moved ahead with the meeting.
In other action Tuesday, City Council:
— approved the appropriation of $106,000 from the Downtown Improvement Fund for the Diamond Street conversion to two-way traffic.
— heard a report from Public Works Director Dave Remy that the pace of a citywide water meter replacement program has improved in the past weeks. “It’s not where we would like it to be, but it’s at a greater pace than we were two or three weeks ago,” Remy said.
— amended the ordinance governing fees charged to outside agencies for services provided by the Mansfield Police Division crime lab.
— accepted a $6,500 donation from Alisha and Dustin Sqrow to be used by the Mansfield Police Department SWAT team.
— appropriated $4,500 from the unappropriated drug law enforcement fund and $6,000 from the unappropriated law enforcement fund to pay for police operations and METRICH until the final 2021 budget is approved.
— appropriated $50,974.62 from the unappropriated fire department capital equipment fund to make the first payment on the lease/purchase agreement of a new rescue squad.
— approved a resolution offering “approval and support” for the city community development department’s consolidated annual performance evaluation report for July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020.
— authorized the public works director to enter into a contract for Fair Housing Services with the Richland County Board of Commissioners and the Richland County Regional Planning Commission.
