CITY MANAGER DECLINES EXTRA PAY HIKE IN SPLIT COUNCIL VOTE
A tie vote by the Independence City Council over a salary bonus for the city manager – which the mayor broke by casting a yes ballot – was rendered moot this week when City Manager Tom Pessemier announced he would decline that part of his pay raise. 
 
Though the city councilors approved in concept a 5% hike, and also asked that it be permanently affixed as an annual salary increase if the city manager received a favorable approval going forward, an extra 2.2% advocated by Councilor Marilyn Morton divided the council. 
 
Councilors Kathy Martin-Willis and Shannon Corr both refused to take the additional action, citing the timing of an extra 2.2% boost during a period of struggle for others. “We are looking at a year of potentially reduced revenues,” Councilor Martin-Willis said. “It’s a sensitivity issue here,” Councilor Corr stated. 
 
However, Councilor Morton pressed the issue, noting that a 5% increase – plus the anticipated cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) of 2.8% – meant that, by adding another 2.2%, the city manager’s raise would be “a solid 10% for this year.” 
 
“I don’t completely understand the need to move this up to 10%,” said Councilor Martin-Willis before voting “no” on that part of the salary increase. She was joined by Councilor Corr; Councilor Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith was absent, and recorded as a “no” vote, as well. 
 
Councilor Morton, president of the council, along with outgoing Councilor Michael Hicks, had come up with the plan for the increases, which Councilor Morton said was carefully researched. They both voted in favor of the extra allocation of 2.2%, as did Councilor Tom Takacs. With a three-to-three split, Mayor John McArdle cast the deciding vote of yes, ensuring passage of the full 10% increase.
 
But early this week City Manager Pessemier sent the city council a note saying that he would not accept the 2.2% addition. “I appreciate the consideration of additional compensation but I feel that Councilors comments regarding the timing of additional increases was correct and compelling,” he wrote. In his explanation, he said that all city staff deserve the credit, so turning down the added increase seemed the “right thing to do.”
 
“I believe Tom did the right thing by declining the additional raise,” commented Shannon Corr, when asked for her reaction to the city manager’s decision. “It shows compassion for our community.”
 
Prior to voting on the 2.2% additional increase, the city councilors unanimously approved the 5% raise, in addition to the COLA of 2.8%, which will mean a salary increase of 7.8% for the city manager in 2021. 
 
During the meeting, Councilor Morton supported the proposal for the additional 2.2% by explaining that City Manager Pessemier had done an outstanding job during the pandemic and that, in the Willamette Valley, cities have “some of the most lucrative payment for city managers.” 
 
OTHER CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS
[] City councilors awarded a contract of $351,000, which includes contingency fees, to GBC Construction to provide the necessary refurbishment for the new downtown location of the Heritage Museum, on the corner of C and Second streets.   
 
[] City councilors officially declared the current Heritage Museum site, a former church, as “surplus” city property, so it can be sold to help defray costs of the museum’s relocation. At a previous meeting, local resident Erin Hill, whose ancestry dates back to Independence founder Henry Hill, said the church site is likely to have historic deed restrictions that would prevent the sale. After checking into the issue, City Manager Tom Pessemier determined that the title company, which transferred the property to the city in 1986, would bear the liability if such restrictions are found to exist. 
 
[] City Councilors approved a water-and-sewer utility rate increase that would raise the average residential customer payment by approximately $3.42 per month.
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