Council to decide whether to pay for Salem safety official

By D.A. Wilkinson

A councilman said the new position could be unpaid.

SALEM — One city councilman says Greg Oesch can work as a city safety official for free — if he wants to.

City council voted Tuesday on party lines to override Republican Mayor Jerry Wolford’s veto of council’s elimination of the safety director’s position.

When it comes to a salary, the mayor said it’s council’s call whether it is “pay or no pay” for Oesch.

Councilman Justin Palmer said Oesch’s post was a patronage job for helping Wolford to get elected.

Council has appropriated only enough money for salaries and other expenses for city operations for the first quarter of this year. Palmer said the Democratic majority of council will set appropriations for the rest of the year starting April 1.

Palmer said Wednesday that council would have to remove any remaining funds from the budget that would go to pay Oesch’s $8,400 salary. But Palmer added that the finance committee may recommend that Oesch be paid.

The finance committee consists of Palmer, a Democrat, and David Nestic and Rita O’Leary, the only two Republicans on council. Oesch is also a Republican. The finance committee is to meet at 7 p.m. today.

The city for many years has had both a safety director and a service director. Each reported to the mayor.

Wolford said that under state law, Steven Andres, the service director, can create a “subdepartment” and determine the number of people in it. State law also lists different types of workers that Wolford could appoint, ranging from superintendent to laborer.

Wolford also has the authority to appoint or remove the heads of subdepartments.

Instead of Oesch’s reporting directly to the mayor as safety director, Wolford said, Oesch will report as a superintendent to Andres — who would then report to Wolford.

Wolford praised Oesch’s work as safety director since Wolford took office in January, which included getting digital cameras for police cars. Previously, police had one camera that was kept at the police station.

Wolford said that under Oesch’s service, police also got new radios and the department was recertified with the National Incident Management System, a federal program to help government and other organizations work together.

Under Oesch’s brief tenure, Salem officials had met with Alliance officials, and want to adopt some of the programs used in that city — especially when it comes to drugs.

wilkinson@vindy.com