THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 28, 1996 TAG: 9608280424
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BATTINTO BATTS JR., STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 57 lines
Sheriff Gary Waters will have to wait indefinitely for a pay raise from the city.
On Tuesday, City Manager Ronald W. Massie withdrew a recommendation to the council that Waters be given a $15,000 supplement to his $70,123 annual salary. Massie cited apprehension among council members for the withdrawal.
The council took no vote on the issue, which means it could resurface later. The council did not set a date for reconsideration.
Waters could not be reached for comment. Portsmouth police and firefighter groups have voiced concerns that the pay raise could hurt their pension funds.
Massie had recommended that the city give Waters the raise to compensate him for overseeing duties beyond those required, such as serving criminal warrants and fingerprinting and processing all people arrested in the city. These are usually the responsibility of the police department.
But some council members want to know more about how the proposed 20 percent raise for Waters might affect the city budget, said council member Cameron Pitts.
``It may probably have been that we didn't have all the information to see the impact,'' Pitts said. ``It is not figured in the budget. It was felt that it was inappropriate right now.''
Councilmen P. Ward Robinett and James T. Martin said there wasn't enough information for a vote. ``The timing was bad,'' Martin said.
Councilman Bernard D. Griffin said he had gotten only one phone call on the issue - from someone in favor of giving Waters the raise.
Massie said Waters' department has saved the city money because it would cost the financially strapped city an additional $200,000 a year if the police had to perform those duties.
Waters also helps the city secure about $600,000 a year for keeping federal prisoners in the Portsmouth City Jail, Massie said.
But two city police and firefighters' organizations were upset about the proposal.
Because Waters is eligible for their retirement plans, members said, a raise would strain their retirement funds.
In other action: the council voted 7-0 to take tentative steps toward adopting a new Hoffler Creek Wildlife Refuge.
The council agreed to take over the Twin Pines Borrow Pit area - made up of a 35-acre manmade lake, wetlands and woodlands - from the state. The council will allow the Hoffler Creek Wildlife Foundation to work for a year to establish and run the refuge.
During the one-year period the council will evaluate the group's performance and the success of the refuge. If the refuge thrives, the council will consider making it a permanent wildlife area.
The Hoffler Creek Wildlife Foundation already has received nearly $13,500 in grants from the state, and the board that started with six people has grown to include 100 volunteers, said Randi Strutton, a foundation leader. ILLUSTRATION: Photo on page B1
Sheriff Gary Waters by CNB