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The Babbitt city council held a special meeting April 30 to discuss wages for the clerk-treasurer position.
Mayor Andrea Zupancich said the city needed to post a wage range for filling the job previously held by Robecca Jaeger who abruptly resigned.
The council had previously discussed the duties of the job including some oversight of other departments.
This meeting was to focus on the amount the successful applicant would be paid.
CouncilmanJoeWhiteproposed a range of $80,000 to $120,000 “that’ll be determined on the training and the qualifications of the individual who gets hired.”
White said that gives the city council some options on paying someone based on their experience.
“I saw some of the candidates that applied last time, and I felt that some of those candidates probably would be worth a higher salary than what we had before,” said White.
Councilman Duane Lossing asked if this would be a salaried position. White confirmed that was what his motion included.
Lossing said his belief, based on previous discussions, would be that the position would not be eligible for overtime.
He also asked about what range the city used last time.
Deputy clerk-treasurer Sara Powell said the city used a figure of 90 percent of the salary at the time.
Lossing said he would like to see the 90 percent language included. Powell said the percentage could even be 80 percent.
The probation period would be one year.
Councilmember Jim Lassi disagreed with the top end of the salary range.
“I think $120,000 is a little high,” said Lassi. “I think we have not budgeted for that this year. I think we probably budgeted maybe around $90,000. So you’re looking at stretching your budget at approximately out of $30,000. So that’s why I think $120,000 is a little bit high.”
Lossing said he agreed that the range should be $80,000 to $100,000.
White said a candidate could ask for $120,000 but the council doesn’t have to agree to that amount.
Powell said the city has paid people at the 90 percent amount and it would break precedence to pay 100 percent from the start.
On the high limit of $120,000, White said if an 80 percent limitation to start is used the $120,000 figure would be under $100,000.
“That just gives you that’s just a window of negotiation. You could end up at 80, you could end up at 85, you could end up 90, and then only 10%, or if you want to go 20% for the first year. So it just gives us, it probably it makes the advertisement a little bit more appealing,” said Lossing.
The motion to approve a salary pay range of $80,000 to $120,000 passed 4-1 with Lassi voting no.
The council also discussed a union grievance over a stipend for employees to use their personal cell phones at work. At issue was a decision to reduce the amount paid to the police chief from $60 a month to $40 a month. Council member John Fitzpatrick questioned the word usage since phone companies don’t charge by the minute for most plans.
Lossing said he had checked with other cities and found the $40 per month figure to be the case.
There was discussion over whether the issue should be resolved during union contract negotiations.
City attorney Joel Liewicki said the issue is not part of the contract and that it wasn’t negotiated. He said the city just decided to set a rate of $40 per month.
White said he wouldn’t give in on the issue and felt the $40 was fair.
“I like you, Troy. I hope that we’re still friends when this is all over us, but I’m not going to go ahead and personally go for this extra $20,” said White.
Lewicki said the council has 10 days to respond to the grievance.
The council decided to take the extra alloted time to make a decision.
