Uhrichsville council is considering raises for all at-large and ward members, council’s president, and the mayor.
The matter received a second reading at the latest meeting and if approved, the president would get a $4,000 pay increase, all council members would see a bump of $3,000, and the mayor’s salary would go up by $5,000. This would be effective as of January 2026.
Resident and former council member Matt Fox questioned this possible decision and how the city is able to afford the $30,000 in pay bumps.
“Here we are continuing we don’t have the money but we’re selling off equipment to buy equipment, we’re hiring more people, and to top that all off, I never felt we deserved raises because we don’t have a job where we physically do the stuff we hire the people and that, and I’m just kind of taken back here a little bit that council would ask for raises.”
Fox also wanted to know how the city is able to increase the Code Enforcement Officer’s salary to $20 per hour and include benefits, along with hiring a new street department employee.
“Did you guys discuss what that’s really going to cost the city over the year with costs and benefits and all that. How much that’s going to cost the city. I understand we need it but I’ve heard nothing but the city doesn’t have the money. It’s hard to do this. It’s hard to do that.”
Mayor Jim Zucal says half of the street hire would come from a lawn and landscaping contract.
“We’re paying McConnell Landscaping. We’re paying for mowing. We’re paying about $25,000 a year in services to the water park. We’ll quit all of that. This person will do that work. If an hourly employee comes into the street department at a $40,000 a year salary, we’ve got $25,000 already freed up and [the street department] gets a fourth person.”
As for the code enforcement position, Mayor Jim Zucal says it’s a five dollar increase.
“The last code enforcement official made $15 an hour. He worked 30 hours a week. We’re going to bring one in at $20 and he might work up to 32 hours a week.”
The finance committee endorsed the two new hires. The pay increases will be voted on at the October 9th meeting.
Pay increase breakdown from ordinance 36-25:
~ Council President pay increase from $4,349.64/year to $8,349.64/year
~ Council At-Large increase from $4,243.56/year to $7,243.56/year
~ Council Wards increase is from $4,502.04 per year to $7,502.04/year
~ Mayor pay would go from $20,866.85 annual to $25,866.85/year
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