Friday, December 21, 2001
Officials said the city's finances remain solvent.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
STRUTHERS -- As council members continue to disagree over a proposed pay increase, council's finance and legislation committee has called a special meeting to move one step closer to a vote on the issue.
The lawmakers will meet at 6:30 tonight at city hall for a second reading of an ordinance that would give council members a $500 increase in 2003 and the city treasurer an increase of $800 in 2003 and an additional $1,000 in 2004.
Council members make $8,000 per year. The salary of Treasurer Thomas Sweder is $8,200.
Council members debated the issue at a council meeting Dec. 12 and at a meeting of the finance and legislation committee on Wednesday.
Opposition: Councilman Mark A. Sandine, D-2nd, opposes the raises and had told council members Wednesday that one reason was a 30 percent increase in health-care costs. On Thursday, he admitted that he had been mistaken. The 30 percent increase will come to the general liability insurance cost.
City Auditor Mary Ellen Jones said the increase will cost the city about $30,000. She said health-care insurance costs will stay the same and current policies remain in effect until April.
"The city of Struthers is going to end the year in the black," Jones said. "Obviously, as with everybody, the economy has had some effect on us but we've been conservative, we continue to be conservative and we are not in any financial distress."
Sandine has opposed the pay raises, saying the economy is insecure, Struthers has suffered job losses and police and fire union contract negotiations are on hold. He said Thursday that he had not meant to leave the impression that the city is going belly-up.
"The economy is very soft," he said. "There are a lot of things happening out there and we should be very, very cautious."
About jobs: Also Thursday, Committee Chairman Robert D. Carcelli challenged Sandine's argument that the city has lost 100 jobs this year. Carcelli said only a few jobs have been lost in the city and income tax revenue has received a boost from construction workers building new schools.
Mayor Dan Mamula said he had told council members in the spring that he estimated that about 100 jobs would be lost with the closing of five companies in the city. He said several had been replaced but not to the extent that they were lost.
If the month of December finishes the same way it did in 2000, he said, he expects to see a $15,000 increase in income tax, a significantly lower increase than in years past.
Still, the mayor said, things are not "doom and gloom."
"We're not going down," he said. "We aren't near bankruptcy."
Sandine said the 100 number may be high because some lost jobs have been replaced. However, he said many jobs were lost with recent business closings and layoffs.
Stands: Besides Sandine, opposing the pay raises are Council President Danny Thomas Jr., a Democrat, and Anthony R. Protopapa Jr., D-1st. Thomas does not vote on council measures except to break ties.
Councilmen Daniel R. Yemma, D-3rd, Terry P. Stocker, D-4th, and Dexter A. Hollen, D-at large, have supported the increases with Carcelli.
Carcelli, Yemma and Stocker have taken offense to the outspoken opposition. They said Sandine, Thomas and Protopapa had agreed to support the pay raises during a committee meeting Dec. 5 but spoke out against the proposal during a regular council meeting Dec. 12.
Councilman Ronald Mathews, D-at large, said he feels the measure should not be considered unless it has unanimous support.
If six council members agree to waive a third reading of the ordinance, the vote could be held tonight. If not, the measure would likely move to a third and final reading at Wednesday's regular meeting, when a the vote would be held. At least four yes votes are required to pass the legislation. The ordinance must be acted on by Dec. 31.