Employee wages for Springfield Township were frozen for 2006 ? for most of the employees that is.
With budget concerns lingering, the board voted to freeze all but a few salaries under control of the township at the Dec. 8 meeting. Only two full-time firefighters and a clerk promoted to an assistant in the treasurer’s office will receive pay increases in 2006.
‘We looked at the overall economic climate in Michigan and Springfield Township and decided (the freeze) was most appropriate,? said Supervisor Collin Walls, who noted most employees usually receive about a three percent yearly increase.
‘It’s been several years since we’ve frozen salaries. We’ve done it before, but not in recent years,? he added.
Two full-time firefighters of the Springfield Township Fire Department received approximately a three percent pay increase bringing their wages up $1,000 to $34,000 a year. The board voted 6 to 1 in favor of the increase, with Clerk Nancy Strole voting against the increase.
‘It was discussed and the firefighter’s were included in this year’s budget. It seemed like a good idea. It was trying to get them into parity with other firefighters and people of comparable responsibilities in the township,? said Walls.
At the meeting, the board agreed to promote a worker in the treasurer’s office from clerk to assistant and supported a wage increase from $25,100 to $27,600. Trustee Marc Cooper and Strole were the only two board members voting against the increase.
‘While I understand it, if we start going down that road when we say there’s a freeze for that individual, but not that one, where do we stop,? said Strole during the meeting.
‘As far as comparable responsibilities, I believe this is comparable to other staff in the township who would be making far less and that creates issues of inequities.?
‘This was based on classification and was a step-up in grade. The salary was on the low end of similar positions in the township,? said Walls.
At the meeting Treasurer Jamie Dubre supported her employee saying ‘that person holds a tremendous amount of responsibility.? Dubre also stated the raise was a long time coming and should not be delayed further.
Strole said two other positions that have comparable responsibilities in the clerks and assessing offices will be brought up at a special Jan. 24 meeting.
Strole confirmed that another vote to freeze the salaries except for the noted exceptions was passed unanimously.
In other news, the board narrowly approved to publish their legals in The Clarkston News starting the first of the year.
Voting 4 to 3 in favor, the board switched from The Clarkston Eccentric, which had the notices since 1998.
Dennis Vallad, Marc Cooper, Dubre and Strole voted in favor. Walls, Roger Lamont and Dennis Hopper voted against the switch.
‘We didn’t see any reason to switch. (The Eccentric) gave a good service and we weren’t getting a bargain to switch. It looked like about the same amount of money to switch, it was no big deal,? said Walls.
While Strole agreed there was a possibility of the new offer being of little financial improvement compared to last year’s spending on legals, she highlighted the accessibility for residents.
‘The purpose of public notice is to reach the public and make them easy to attain and accessible? There’s no reason why anyone who wants to see them won’t be able to do so,? added Strole.