Struthers mayor vetoes council’s salary ordinance, citing fairness issues

June 13, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

STRUTHERS

Mayor Terry Stocker has vetoed city council’s salary ordinance, arguing council acted unfairly by letting personal considerations cloud the distribution of raises.

Council now needs five votes to override a mayoral veto.

City officials exchanged barbs about the issue during a caucus session this month.

Council approved an ordinance setting salaries of nonelected officials, including department heads, in May. It passed the ordinance unanimously after three readings.

Council passes a salary ordinance every spring. This year, it approved a $5,200 increase for the street supervisor, who would earn $52,046 a year. The salaries for the tax commissioner ($41,324), waste-water treatment plant supervisor ($65,494), fire chief ($52,946), police chief ($52,946) and safety-service director ($52,389) would remain the same.

Jim Bertrando, tax commissioner, asked council during caucus to clarify its rationale behind its awarding of raises.

Councilman-at-large Michael Patrick said Bertrando did not receive a raise because of unprofessional behavior, among other issues. Several incidents in which Bertrando yelled at co-workers were the subject of a February Vindicator article published in relation to Bertrando’s failed bid for county recorder.

“That was a year and a half ago, and it’s been dealt with,” Bertrando said.

Stocker punished Bertrando with a three-day unpaid suspension in 2015 and ordered Bertrando to attend anger-management classes.

Third Ward Councilwoman Carol Cryzter said during caucus she did not think it was appropriate to give a raise to waste-water treatment plant supervisor Bob Gentile because of an explosion at the plant in 2012 that resulted in the deaths of two city workers.

“I thought that was completely unprofessional and out of line,” Stocker said of Cryzter’s remarks during caucus. “I know personally that [Gentile] was sick with remorse when that happened. He was so upset, and I think that’s why he walked out of that [caucus] meeting.”

Stocker added he thought council had tried to use the distribution of raises as a way to discipline staff for past incidents. Stocker said employee discipline is a function of the executive branch and said council may not understand the responsibilities of department heads because council members do not work in city hall every day.

“Mr. Betrando does an excellent job,” Stocker said, referring to record-high tax collections under Bertrando’s tenure. “Now, they’re trying to rehash things that I’ve already acted on.”

When council first discussed $1,000 raises for department heads during a committee meeting earlier this year, First Ward Councilman Anthony Fire responded to criticism of specific employees by saying he didn’t believe it was fair for council to award raises only to some, arguing council did not have an objective merit-based system in place.

Like Stocker, Fire believes all department heads should receive raises. Raises of $1,000 for all department heads would constitute less than 1 percent of the $10,321,850 2016 budget.

“It was so miniscule it was pathetic,” Fire said.

Safety Service Director Ed Wildes suggested council acted on personal prejudice.

“You may not like my personality, but I do my job. ... Why penalize the rest of the people?” Wildes said.

When council passed the ordinance, it discussed revisiting the issue in October. Councilman at-large James Kosek said last week he believed council should re-examine the issue sooner.

“There’s been some questions as to the ethics involved in that and the possibility of arbitrary purposes,” Kosek said.

At several points during the caucus, council President Henry Franceschelli Sr. attempted to halt the conversation, saying it belonged in committee. During a committee meeting early this year, Franceschelli told Patrick his comments about performance-based raises should be made during executive session because they related to “personnel.” After that meeting, Franceschelli cautioned his colleagues that their remarks could end up in The Vindicator. Executive sessions are closed to the public.