Circleville – During the City Council Meeting on September 4, 2018, Councilwoman Michelle Blanton gave a report from the Compensation Study Committee Meeting that took place on August 29,2018. The meeting was for the purpose was to compare the Ohio Municipal League Salary Survey to the salary levels in the city of Circleville. The proposal is to specifically increase only the mayor’s part-time salary from 37,000 to 52,000 dollars a 14,000 increase for the mayor.
Mayor Don McIlroy was at the September 4th meeting and gave his recommendation of the proposal. “I want to go on record that I do not think its necessary to raise the mayor’s salary. I didn’t get involved in running for mayor for the money. You guys have heard me comment on support staff that we need. I would recommend to not raise the mayor’s salary and do several different things instead. I would take one of our part-time people and move them up to full-time support staff. For example, our safety director who oversees two major departments in Circleville and make him full time.”
Mcllroy continued with the recommendation for another form of government a charter, and it costs money to charter. “To raise the CEO the Mayor of the City of Circleville and no one else? To me, it is sending the wrong message to the citizens of Circleville and Circleville employees. If I wanted to run for office again in November wage would not be a factor in running. With all due respect, I do not agree with just raising the mayor’s salary, when we could use that money in so many different areas.”
The mayor continued by talking about the shortages in fuel for some of our city vehicles, “We are struggling to figure out how to pay for the gasoline in our vehicles after November, we are very strict with our budget. If you go back and ask any other mayor of this community what they made when mayor they probably couldn’t tell you what they made. We do not do it because of the salary we do it because of our high interest in our community. My official message as Mayor is this is the wrong message to be sent, thank you.”
First reading of the proposed increase of the mayors salary will be heard by council on September 18,2018. We will keep you informed on what is said in the next meetings.
