New city leaders in question
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Submitted, letter to the editor
Published: November 24, 2008
Is anyone else scratching their head? As I read the headline “Mayor calls for pay raise,” (Nov. 22) I had to. I’m a former Waynesboro resident, now living in the county, and I am amazed at the audacity of the mayor and the City Council!
Does anyone remember Election Day? A new majority was created. New leadership. A new day dawning for the city. Hooray! Right?
Then we read shortly after the election that the new council could not work with City Manager Doug Walker, and Walker was asked to tender his resignation ... which he did at a considerable cost to the city (taxpayers). The city basically had to buy out his contract. This is no small matter, folks. Doug Walker’s severance check was $128,000, according to The News Virginian.
Then the city hired a NEW city manager, lifelong Waynesboro resident Mike Hamp, a good choice, but the only person considered for the vacancy, according to the council. Evidently, he was the only one they felt they could work with. Therefore, the city paid for two city managers. Hamp makes $115,000 for his term, ending in September 2009. Does anybody else see something wrong here? Hooray again for new leadership, right?!?
Then we read that the city has instituted a hiring freeze during these hard economic times. Great wisdom. According to The News Virginian: “Mayor Tim Williams said it would be ‘prudent’ to show the city’s concern for the current state of the economy.” (Nov. 10) Hooray, right?!?
Then we read Saturday that the mayor wants to give all of the council (including himself) a raise.
I guess the economic hardship is over, Mr. Mayor. Hooray! As I saw their salaries compared to other localities, I don’t necessarily disagree, but think that now might not be the best timing, considering all the other rhetoric we’ve heard and the shape of the economy. Even if it doesn’t take effect until 2010, it still is certainly not the most fiscally appropriate time to institute a raise.
That is, unless you plan to pay for it with the huge water and sewer rate hikes that are being advertised in the public notices contained in the same paper. Hooray for new leadership?!? Hmmm.
Tim Harrison
Fishersville
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Posted by ( Greg Bruno ) on November 25, 2008 at 10:27 am
Mr. Harrison’s argument here is fluffed-up by his references to the handling of the former City Manager and the increase in water and sewer rates, but without those somewhat tangential matters, his comment boils down to questioning the timing of the request for a City Council stipend increase. On that, we agree.
It is never politically wise for such a body to vote itself an increase in pay, however there is no question that they deserve it. If you have witnessed the hours that these people spend in work sessions and regular council business meetings, then you have only seen a portion of the effort that they must expend in order to do their jobs. The amount that the mayor requests is not unreasonable, and is still just a stipend and does not rise to the level of an actual salary.
It is reasonable for us to vote for our councilors based upon their decisions and behavior, but once we have chosen them, we need to provide a resonable stipend to allow them to more easily do what we elected them to do.
If they fail to perform their jobs adequately, then we will have other elections in which to dispose of them, but we should not use the stipend as the method of behavioral correction. If they don’t deserve a reasonable stipend, then they should not be in office. If they are in office, then they deserve a reasonable stipend.
That being said, a worse time to suggest the increase would be difficult to find. Perhaps it would be more acceptable right after some wise council decision saves the city a pile of money. Timing is the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine to go down.
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