2 Madison Twp. trustees accept raises for 2023

MADISON TOWNSHIP — Trustees Cathy Swank and Jim Houser voted Tuesday night to accept another round of statutory raises paid from Madison Township’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.

With Tuesday’s vote, and Swank and Houser’s acceptance of retroactive lump sums for 2022 in October, the two will each receive more than $9,000 in raises, including pension and Medicare contributions.

Trustee Tom Craft declined the same two raises offered to him.

The Ohio Township Association sets trustee salaries based on how large a township’s budget is. Madison Township’s ARPA funds have temporarily pushed the township into a larger budget category.

Fiscal officer Leanna Rhodes will also receive a raise of about $4,300 for 2023. Rhodes, Houser and Swank will receive bi-weekly paychecks reflective of their higher pay.

Tuesday’s vote came nearly a month after Fire Chief Ken Justus presented a revised resolution to pay fire department workers premium pay for hours worked from March 2020 to March 2022.

Brian Hall, Madison Twp. Fire Dept. union president, said he was disappointed trustees had not followed up with the fire department about bonus discussions.

“We had a meeting last year and I said, ‘Just give us something,’ and they haven’t responded to us,” he said.

Swank said trustees are discussing the fire department’s request with the township’s lawyer. Justus’ request for premium pay of an additional $1.15 per hour for each hour worked retroactive from March 2020 to March 2022 would cost $79,350, according to his revised proposal from December.

As of Dec. 31, Rhodes said the township still has $986,546 available in its ARPA funds, before accounting for the $14,400 in total raises for 2023.

Hall said fire department workers asked for additional pay from the ARPA fund in 2021.

“It’s been over a year since we asked for a bonus from the ARPA fund,” he said. “In this time, you guys have given yourselves two raises. It’s time for the 15 guys who put their lives on the line during COVID to get their bonus.”

Hall estimated Madison Twp. currently has about 15 full-time firefighters and 8 or 9 part-time firefighters.

Also in Tuesday’s meeting, trustees announced the township’s new part-time firefighters pay rate. Craft said a new hire who has not completed training will be paid $11 per hour. After completing training, firefighters will be paid $12 per hour, with an additional sliding pay raise for EMTs and paramedics.

Craft said each township employee will be able to submit mileage reimbursements to the township according to the IRS’ 2023 mileage rate of 65.5 cents per mile for business-related driving.

Trustees reappointed Tom Brandt to the Zoning Board of Appeals, and said all zoning board members will be paid $20 for each meeting they attend. The zoning secretary will be paid $30 for each meeting attended.

Trustees appointed Craft as the 2023 chair of the Madison Twp. trustees, taking over Swank’s former role. Each trustee also elected to be a liaison for a public office.

Craft is: