Council opts to wait on final vote for raises

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A final decision on raises for Van Wert mayor, law director, city auditor and council members will come in August.

A final vote was anticipated on a pair of salary ordinances during Monday night’s meeting of Van Wert City Council, but council members opted to wait after hearing from Law Director John Hatcher. Council members were expected to suspend the rules and cast final votes during a second reading on raises that would take effect in 2024. A decision would have set the salaries ahead of Ohio’s August 9 filing deadline for petitions to run for any of those spots this fall.

Traditionally, city council has set salaries before the filing deadline, but Hatcher informed council that after researching the matter, he found there’s nothing in Ohio Revised Code requiring it.

“Are we statutorily bound to that? The answer is no,” Hatcher stated. “Ohio Revised Code is sort of vague in this regard the salary of any officer of the city shall not raised or lowered during a term…that’s all it says.”

He also recommended action sooner instead of later, but council members went ahead with the second reading and will decide the issue on its third reading at the August 14 meeting.

If approved, the mayor’s salary would increase by three percent annually, to $55,805 in 2024, $57,379 in 2025, $59,103 in 2026 and $60,876 in 2027. City auditor salaries would increase by three percent to $65,822 in 2024, $67,797 in 2025, $69,831 in 2026 and $71,926 in 2027. Law director salaries would go up by three percent annually, to $72,403 in 2024, $74,575 in 2025, $76,812 in 2026 and $79,116 in 2027. Annual salaries of council members would increase from $4,900 to $6,100, and the salary of the council president would go from $5,500 to $6,700 annually.

Council members also heard the second reading of an ordinance allowing the detachment of property at 10480 Greenville Road from the city limits. A final vote will come next month.

An ordinance to establish a new fund for Van Wert Municipal Court’s “Camo Court” was approved, and after a public hearing on the matter, council heard the first reading of an ordinance establishing two Downtown Redevelopment Districts. If ultimately approved, 70 percent of new property tax revenue generated by work in those two downtown districts would go toward future growth and infrastructure.

In other business, city council formally approved the tax budget, a decision that was mistakenly overlooked at the previous meeting.

During his report to council, Judiciary and Annexation Committee Chairman Andrew Davis introduced council rules that he believes need reviewed and changed, including the procedure sometimes used to introduce ordinances, rules establishing council committees, the three reading rule and setting salaries for elected officials. Those suggestions will be discussed at a future meeting.

Hatcher told grass and weed and junk violations are down significantly this year, compared to 2022.

“We’re still getting some here and there but nearly as many,” he said.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, August 14, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.