Rotterdam’s town board was slated to consider a resolution that would create a special committee designed to survey and study appropriate salary ranges and terms for all elected and appointed town officials at the Wednesday, Jan. 23, meeting.
Supervisor Steven Tommasone said that if the resolution passes, the panel would consist of no more than five members and would serve the purpose of making recommendations to the town board as part of the 2008 budget process.
Tommasone mentioned two names of people being considered for the committee Diane Marco and Kevin March.
Marco, who retired from the board last month after eight years of service, was outspoken in her belief that members of the town board deserve a pay increase. She said members hadn’t seen an increase in pay in 17 years.
Last year’s board, which included Marco, voted 3-to-2 to propose a $5,000 salary increase for each of the four town board members. The vote proposed a local law subject to permissive referendum that would amend the 2008 budget to appropriate $20,000 for board member salaries. The raise would not have affected the supervisor’s $16,000 annual salary, but would have bumped members’ salaries from $10,000 to $15,000 annually.
At a meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 9, the new town board found itself in a 2-to-2 deadlock vote on the resolution that would have ultimately accounted for the raises and amended the 2008 budget.
March, a Rotterdam resident, was adamantly against the raises, speaking out at both the New Year’s Day public hearing and at the Jan. 9 meeting.
March said he would probably be interested in joining the special committee because it would involve members of the public.
People in the community need to realize that they should take more action in what happens in the government both locally and nationally,` said March. `People need to speak out at meetings instead of complaining about things after the fact.`
March also said he wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the board deserves a raise. He said the procedural aspects of the recently proposed raises upset him.
`The raises were brought up after the November elections and the public hearing on the issue was held on a holiday,` said March. He said that both of these occurrences may have limited the input of the public on the issue.
He also said that a 50 percent salary increase at one time was too much, but that after a proper period of research and community involvement, a more reasonable increase might be determined.
Councilman Joe Signore, who was a strong proponent of the raises, agreed with March that more public involvement on the issue would be in the town’s best interest.
`This committee would put away any doubts that things were being done behind the scenes,` said Signore. `The salaries of all town appointees and employees, not just the board, can be discussed in public and we can get more input.`
Signore went on to say that he hopes the proposed committee would find that a raise for the board would be good for both Republicans and Democrats, as it would attract high-quality candidates.
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Electronic signs discussed
The board also discussed the possibility of amending a local law that would allow flashing signs for public schools and public firehouses.
Tommasone said that the scrolling electronic signs in front of these public buildings provide vital information to town residents.
`These signs could be of use during times of emergency if the town needed to get the word out on something quickly,` said Tommasone.
The sign outside of Mohonasen High School also provides information about upcoming school events including statewide tests and school plays.
If the resolution passes, the new law would make an exception for schools and firehouses, but would disallow private businesses or residents from displaying signs with flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving light or lights.“