LOWELLVILLE Council, mayoral candidates face hot topic of pay raises

The council passed large-percentage pay raises in August.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
LOWELLVILLE -- Legislation that will give incoming council members and the mayor substantial pay raises is a hot topic this election season.
One of the two mayoral candidates and two of the four council candidates who returned Vindicator questionnaires said that repealing the legislation is their top priority.
Mayor Joseph Rossi, who stated repeatedly that he would not seek re-election, threw his hat into the ring for council because, he said, he could not ignore an action that "was indirectly nothing more than robbing the taxpayers without using a gun."
In August, council approved an ordinance to raise the salaries of council members by 175 percent and the salary of the mayor 33 percent. Under the new terms, council members will receive $3,300 per year, up from $1,200; the mayor will receive $4,800, up from $3,600.
The raises will go into effect Jan. 1, 2004, for the mayor and council members whose terms begin with the new year.
Pledges to repeal
Referring to the raises as "ridiculous" and "excessive," Rossi said that a small village with a population of 1,218 and general fund of $453,242 cannot afford to pay the salary increases.
He also said that Lowellville cannot afford a fringe benefit that allows village employees to accrue an unlimited number of unused sick days. Under the current legislation, he said, employees can accrue unused sick leave retroactive to their date of hire. When they retire, employees can get paid for unused sick leave, which can cost thousands of dollars.
On his questionnaire, Rossi pledged to repeal that, too.
Alan Russo, also running for council, cited repealing what he termed "the massive raise for council and other wasteful give-aways" as his No. 1 priority.
"The raise should be voted on by the people of Lowellville, and other employee benefits should be given in accordance with state law," Russo said. "I see the arrogance of power held by some members of council as an insult to the good people of Lowellville. I do not want to see our village financially embarrassed by wasteful spending."
Defense for raises
Councilman Jim Alfano, who is up for re-election, was the only candidate to defend the raises.
He cited two reasons for the increases: first, to attract better candidates for council seats, and second, to make council members eligible for one full credit under the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System for each year served.
"The raise will satisfy the minimum requirement to earn that credit and bring council up to par with all village employees, as well as the office of the mayor and clerk treasurer," Alfano explained.
His priority, he said, "is to take the politics out of our local government. We need to make decisions based on what is best for our community, not on what will be the most popular or sound the best in the next day's paper."
Ronald Rotunno, also up for re-election to council, did not address the salary increases.
A four-year veteran of village council, Rotunno said his primary concern is to attract new business to Lowellville and to transform the downtown business district into "a smaller version of Volant, Pa."
Rotunno said he wants "to finish the job I started four years ago to make Lowellville Village an even better place to live."
Community priorities
Mayoral candidate James Iudiciani Sr. cited three major issues he would address if elected: Attracting new business to boost tax revenues in the village, revitalizing the downtown, and repealing ordinances granting the pay raises and the unlimited accumulation of sick leave.
He also said he wants to establish an industrial/commerce park.
Mayoral candidate Keith McCaughtry cited building a good rapport with neighboring communities as a primary issue and keeping Lowellville a good, clean, safe community as his top priority.
"I am seeking the office of mayor to help keep our village moving in the right direction and to make sure the residents have a say in local politics," McCaughtry said.
Iudiciani and McCaughtry both hold seats on village council.
XCouncil candidates Michele Packner and Paul Meehan did not return the Vindicator survey on which this story is based.