Future council members get raise

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FAIRBORN — Current Fairborn City Council opted to give a raise to future council members at the latest April 17 council meeting.

“I think it’s the right thing to do for future city council members,” Council Member Marilyn McCauley said. “This is not just a three-meetings-per-month job and that’s all you have to do — it’s very, very much more involved than I think previous council [members] have done, and I highly recommend that we go along with this change because I think it’s well deserved.”

Current council members are paid $541.67 per month, or $6,500 per year for their service to the community, while the current mayor is paid $812.50 per month, or $9,750 per year. After the vote, future council members will earn $7,920 per year, a $118 increase per month. The future mayor will earn $10,422 per year, an annual increase of approximately $700.

“Some cities [pay] significantly higher and some, quite frankly, [pay] quite a bit less,” City Solicitor Mike Mayer said. ” … Some [cities] offer other benefits to council, [such as] a health plan through the city they represent. I think we’re somewhere in the middle.”

Members have been discussing the raise during work sessions since February after changes came to the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System following House Bill 64, which was adopted in 2015, and increased township trustees pay. Fairborn City Council reviews pay every two years, but no changes have been made to compensation since 2007.

McCauley pointed out that some of the current members would not feel the benefits of voting for a raise as some are serving their last term; Council Member Tim Steininger saw voting yes to the raise as a means of recruiting future members. Council Member Rob Hoffman was the only member to vote no as he may run for reelection in the future and said he didn’t feel comfortable voting for a raise for himself.

“It does not benefit any of the current council members in their current term,” Fairborn Mayor Dan Kirkpatrick said. “It only benefits people who [are elected] in [future] elections.”

Whitney Vickers | Greene County News Fairborn City Council members at a recent regular meeting. From left to right: Members Terry Burkert, Donna Wilson, Marilyn McCauley, Mayor Dan Kirkpatrick, Deputy Mayor Paul Keller, Members Rob Hoffman and Tim Steininger.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/04/web1_council0403.jpgWhitney Vickers | Greene County News Fairborn City Council members at a recent regular meeting. From left to right: Members Terry Burkert, Donna Wilson, Marilyn McCauley, Mayor Dan Kirkpatrick, Deputy Mayor Paul Keller, Members Rob Hoffman and Tim Steininger.

By Whitney Vickers

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Reach Whitney Vickers at 937-502-4532.

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