Officials’ raise requests not met

Council members have approved pay raises for three elected officials that were lower than what they had asked for at the Jan. 16 meeting.

City Clerk Joan Flynn got the highest pay raise, 22%, bringing her to the starting point in salary ranges for city clerks.

Flynn, as well as City Atty. Jennifer McGrath and City Treasurer Shari Freidenrich, gave recommendations about their pay raise amounts using market surveys for comparable positions.

The three department heads are elected to their offices and so have to recommend their own pay raises.

McGrath and Flynn requested pay raises that would bring them to the middle range, but some council members said they were uncomfortable with such large raises.

The city has an excellent attorney, clerk and treasurer, Councilwoman Debbie Cook said. “What we are having trouble with is, it’s such a huge increase.”

Council members agreed that the raises were needed to retain quality talent in the city, compensate for cost of living increases and reward for performance based on merit.

Flynn’s 22% salary bump brought her annual salary to $126,942 from $103,958. She had asked for a 36% raise, to $141,290.

“The only three employees we have lost became city clerks in other cities,” said Councilwoman Jill Hardy. “We need to be competitive, as our city clerks have such a good reputation,” she said.

McGrath asked for a 25% increase, to $202,363, but got only a 12% raise. Council members Joe Carchio and Cathy Green voted against the 12% raise, saying McGrath deserved a higher raise to bring her annual salary in line with what other city attorneys in comparable cities earn.

McGrath’s annual salary will be $181,823 , an almost $20,000 yearly increase.

Freidenrich’s recommended 13% pay raise was the hardest for council members to navigate. Lack of market data about the city treasurer’s position as well as Freidenrich’s request for her job role to be compared with a finance director’s position confused some council members.

She received a 5.5% raise, to $142,896. Council members said a bigger raise would have placed Freidenrich in the middle range offered for her position, which would be unfair to McGrath and Flynn who will be at the starting point of their salary ranges.

“In the interest of parity of process, we should have done so for all three then,” Councilman Don Hansen said.

But Flynn, McGrath and Freidenrich can ask the council for raises based on merit or performance after six months or a year.