By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – Normal’s mayor and council members will receive raises starting two years from now following action at Monday night’s town council meeting.
Prominent local business leader Andy Shirk, president of Beer Nuts, spoke in favor of increased pay because he said elected leaders are under-compensated for all the time they spend on the job.
“In my professional opinion, you deserve to work for more than peanuts,” said Shirk.
Former council candidate Ron Ulmer spoke out against the pay hikes, saying 12-year term limits would reduce the financial strain on elected and appointed officials.
Mayoral hopeful Marc Tiritilli argued the essential parts of the mayor’s job can still be done on a part-time basis.
“Things like going to Rivian events on the taxpayers’ dollar, marching in other peoples’ parades, signing on to declarations to pull us back from the brink of nuclear war, these are not essential to town governance,” Tiritilli said.
Council members voted 4-2 to boost the mayor’s pay to $32,000, from the current $18,000 when Chris Koos’ term runs out in 2021.
Future council members will be paid $6,800, up $2,000, when they take office in 2021 and 2023.
Kathleen Lorenz, who’s running for a second term next year, voted against both proposals because she didn’t like the timing.
“Our budget last year wasn’t great. I don’t know that our budget in the coming year is going to be notably better,” said Lorenz.
“I just question whether any raise, even a more reasonable number, is a mission-critical step we need to take this year,” she added.
R.C. McBride, who’s also up for reelection next year, backed the mayoral raise, but not for council members.
Citing poor “optics” and the “stigma” of approving raises, Councilman Jeff Fritzen suggested smaller pay hikes, but colleagues rejected the idea.
Mayor Koos said he’s the on the job almost all the time, taking away from his business. A couple of years ago, he estimated the mayor’s job cost him $45,000. Koos said it’s gotten to the point that only wealthy or retired people can do what’s become a full-time occupation.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
