Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 9, 1995 TAG: 9505090135
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
For the most part, the salary increases are higher than those granted to regular city workers, who on average will get a 4.7 percent raise July 1.
The raises were passed 6-1 after a 90-minute executive session that was closed to the public. City Councilwoman Linda Wyatt cast the lone dissenting vote.
``I believe philosophically that our upper-echelon employees should be paid the same percentage increase as our rank-and-file,'' Wyatt said after the vote.
The raises handed out Monday total $30,000 annually. Last year, council approved salary increases totaling $18,260 for the positions. In 1993, council granted no raises to the six positions, after each of the employees had received a 10 percent wage increase in 1992.
City Manager Bob Herbert received the largest raise this year. His current $102,000 annual salary, already tops in the city, will move to $110,000, a 7.8 percent increase.
City Attorney Wilburn Dibling's salary will rise from $91,000 to $98,000 under the ordinance, and City Finance Director Jim Grisso's pay will go from $78,000 to $84,000, increases of 7.7 percent each.
Council also increased salaries for City Clerk Mary Parker, City Auditor Bob Bird and Director of Real Estate Valuation Will Claytor, although by smaller percentages.
Councilman Jack Parrott said the raises were justified based on the performance of the officials. Because they are unclassified workers who serve at council's pleasure, council must adopt an ordinance when increasing their salaries.
``It's like in business: You pay to keep your top people,'' Parrott said. ``We know our top people are very attractive to other municipalities.''
Mayor David Bowers noted that because average city workers' raises are based on the midpoint in their pay grades, some lower-paid workers also will see increases of more than 4.7 percent. Workers near the top of their pay grades will get smaller percentage increases.
That was little solace to Gary Waldo, teachers union executive director. He said most city teachers are receiving only a 2 percent wage increase next fiscal year.
``Will the teachers feel real good about that? The answer is, absolutely not. ... They feel like they've been given short shrift for years and years and years,'' Waldo said.
Mike Hanks, secretary-treasurer of the Roanoke Firefighters Association, declined to comment because he hadn't spoken to rank-and-file firefighters about the raises.
In other action:
Council unanimously passed a $146.5 million fiscal 1996 budget that takes effect July 1.
Council directed Herbert to study the feasibility of installing four-way stops signs at Maiden Lane and Dunmore Street in Southwest Roanoke.
That came after Bluemont Avenue resident Glenn Friedlind presented council with a petition signed by 53 people asking for the stop signs.
Friedlind said the busy intersection is near a school bus stop and that there are many children who live in a nearby apartment complex.
``The city of Roanoke has a reputation for being a safe place to live,'' he said. ``Let's keep it that way.''
by CNB