City managers to get 10.3% raises by 2010

A city council member called the raises ‘reasonable’ and ‘fair.’

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — A number of city department heads and managers will see their annual salaries increase by $7,000 to $9,000 in a little more than two years.

About 100 city workers, including those in management positions, will receive 10.3 percent salary increases by Jan. 1, 2010.

“I think it’s reasonable,” said Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th. “I think it’s fair.”

The pay raises, unanimously approved Monday by council, call for a 2.5 percent increase effective Jan. 1, 2008, a 4.5 percent increase beginning Jan. 1, 2009, and 3 percent more on Jan. 1, 2010. With the money compounded annually, the raises come to 10.3 percent.

The raises are slightly less than those given in June to the 66-member Youngstown Police Ranking Officers Unit. The only difference is the union members received a 3 percent annual raise in the contract’s first year.

A fact finder recommended the city give the 117 patrol officers in the Youngstown Police Association the same pay raise as received by the ranking officers. The union rejected the report in September, but didn’t give a specific reason for that decision. The contract dispute goes to binding arbitration early next month.

Though Councilman Paul Pancoe, D-6th, expressed some concern about the pay raises, he approved them. Pancoe said it was only fair for city managers to receive similar raises as the unions.

“We need to keep peace in the family,” he said.

Councilman Mark Memmer, D-7th, said the pay increases were “not out of whack with the private sector.”

The only exceptions to the 10.3 percent overall raises were Police Chief Jimmy Hughes and Fire Chief John J. O’Neill Jr. They both received 3 percent raises instead of 2.5 percent in the first year. Overall, their pay raises when compounded yearly adds up to 10.9 percent, the same as the police ranking officers.

They received the additional 0.5 percent raise to keep pace with those who work under them in their departments, city officials said.

Finance Director David Bozanich, whose annual salary will increase from $83,948 to $92,616 by Jan. 1, 2010, said department heads, managers and nonunion employees will continue to pay 10 percent of their monthly health premiums.

Unions signing contracts with the city this year also have the 10 percent contribution, but have caps allowing them not to pay that full percentage in certain cases.

The city’s current monthly premiums are $412.16 for single coverage and $1,042.45 for families.

Bozanich said it’s appropriate for management and nonunion employees to receive similar pay raises to those in bargaining unions.

Also, he said the city will save money through its early retirement incentive. Certain city workers have until Jan. 31, 2008, to take the offer, which has the city buying two years of state Public Employees Retirement System time.

To date, 38 people who earned $1.8 million total in just annual salary have taken the buyout, Bozanich said. The city has paid about $900,000 for the two-year buyouts, he said, and expects to replace about half of those who left. Many of the new hires will and are receiving less money than the person who had the job before them, he said.

Bozanich didn’t have the amount of money the city will save through the program, but said it would be a “significant savings when all is said and done. We hope to have fewer people working harder and smarter.”

skolnick@vindy.com