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| By Erin O'Connor Staff Writer AGAWAM In a 10 to one vote on March 5, City Councilors approved an ordinance proposed by City Councilor Cecilia P. Calabrese that would allow elected officials raises starting next year. If approved at the second reading, the ordinance will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2008. The ordinance will raise the mayor's salary from $65,000 to $85,000. Councilor salaries will go from $6,000 to $10,000 a year, and the council president will earn $12,000 instead of $7,000. School Committee members will see an increase from $3,500 to $5,000. Councilor Dennis J. Perry voted "no." "As an elected official I have to give special consideration to an ordinance that could result in a tax increase," Perry said to Reminder Publications. Calabrese said that she proposed the salary ordinance after several of her fellow City Council members asked her to do it as she is chair of the finance committee. "The Council had considered a request such as this two years ago in order to bring their salaries in line with other cities and their officials," she said. "Basically the main concern is that you are looking to increase the salaries resulting in $75,000 to the budget and any increase is a tax increase for Agawam," Perry said. "And with property taxes everyone is paying more in taxes. It is my job as an elected official to keep the budget at a level where it won't have a huge impact." "If I felt that this was going to put a strain on the town then I would not have brought it up," Calabrese said. According to Calabrese in a survey that she conducted of area salaries in cities she found the Chicopee mayor receives $65,000, each member of the Board of Alderman to get $10,250, the Head of the Alderman $11,250 and members of the School Committee $ 5,045. She said in Westfield the mayor receives $90,000 and each city council member $10,000, including the president. "The salaries do need to go up eventually but at this time, no," Perry said. "Community indicators are showing that all communities will be tightening their belts." Perry said this will be in response to the leveling off of property values but continued spending. "Governor Patrick said we are looking at a crisis and we should be more responsible to be proactive rather than reactive," Perry said. "I think that the responsibilities placed on each member of the City Council and the office of the mayor is very, very time consuming, everyone has a committee to chair and serves on two to three committees," Calabrese said. "It seems to me that the mayor of a city like Agawam should be paid more." "At this point there is one more reading at the next Council meeting and I will state my case," Perry said. Two-thirds majority of the Council is needed to obtain the raises for the city workers. "We always try to discuss as many issues as each city council member deems appropriate, that is the beauty of our City Council. I certainly welcome Councilor Perry addressing the issue," Calabrese said. The next City Council meeting will be March 19. |