Belleville City Council takes final action to raise pay, despite mayor’s disapproval
Belleville City Council approved an ordinance change on Monday night, the last step needed to raise their salaries, although aldermen reduced the amount from 14% to 12% over four years.
Mayor Patty Gregory made a last-ditch effort to change their minds, noting that they already are the highest-paid aldermen among those in comparable metro-east cities. She implied that some may have voted for an increase last month based on incorrect information.
“I just wanted to clarify, because some things were thrown out at the last meeting with different numbers, and when it comes to something like this, we need to be factual,” Gregory said.
The mayor made specific references to the city of O’Fallon, where aldermen earn $4,800 a year; and Collinsville, where the annual pay is $3,000.
Sixteen people serve on Belleville City Council, two from each of eight wards. Under the ordinance change approved Monday night, their salaries will go from $11,086 a year to $11,419 in May 2023, $11,762 in May 2024, $12,115 in May 2025 and $12,478 in May 2026.
Next spring’s raise will be their first since 2009.
Several aldermen spoke in favor of the increase at their Sept. 19 meeting. They pointed to inflation and other rising costs and the time they spend answering phone calls and emails and attending meetings and other functions.
Monday night’s discussion lasted less than 10 minutes. Ward 4 Alderman Raffi Ovian argued for the pay raise.
“We got nothing for 13 years,” he said. “... What are we supposed to do, continue to pay money out of our own pockets? I mean, it’s not fair when you stop and think of it.”
Ovian noted that St. Clair County Board members earn nearly $20,000 a year, plus medical and dental benefits that Belleville aldermen don’t receive, and the federal government is no longer allowing tax breaks for mileage costs.
Gregory said that wasn’t an “oranges-to-oranges” comparison because the county has about 257,000 residents, compared to Belleville’s population of 42,000 people. Ovian fired back.
“I’m a retiree, and I think (an increase) is only fair,” he said. “... Someday I won’t be an alderman, but a number of you here will be. You may need that. Think about it. Unless you want to pay out of your pockets. I mean, it’s up to you. I just don’t think it’s right.”
Ward 1 Alderman Bryan Whitaker again argued against the pay raise. On Sept. 19, he said he wasn’t comfortable taking such action in the same year Belleville residents saw a property-tax increase.
On Monday night, Whitaker said he had heard objections in the past two weeks from unionized employees who recently went through contract negotiations or are now in them.
“(The Belleville City Council pay rate) is currently the highest in the county,” he said. “I would encourage us to consider this at a different time.”
The City Council voted 10-5 on Sept. 19 to increase their salaries by 3.5% per year over four years for a total 14%. On Monday night, Ward 7 Alderman Phil Elmore offered an amendment to the ordinance change, lowering that rate to 3% per year over four years for a total 12%, and it was approved.
The final vote on the ordinance change was 9-6 with Ward 1 Alderman Joe Hazel absent. He had voted for the pay raise on Sept. 19. The only other difference was that Ward 6 Alderman Mary Stiehl voted “no” on Monday night after abstaining on Sept. 19.
Voting in favor of the ordinance change Monday night were Carmen Duco and Jamie Eros of Ward 2, Kent Randle of Ward 3, Johnnie Anthony of Ward 4, Dennis Weygandt of Ward 7, Kara Osthoff and Nora Sullivan of Ward 8, Elmore and Ovian.
Voting against were Scott Ferguson of Ward 3, Edward Dintelman and Shelly Schaefer of Ward 5, Chris Rothweiler of Ward 6, Whitaker and Stiehl.
Elsewhere in the metro-east, annual salaries for city council members are:
- $3,000 a year for Collinsville ($250 per month), four members, 24,366 residents.
- $4,800 a year for O’Fallon ($200 per meeting), 14 members, 32,289 residents.
$6,000 a year for Edwardsville, seven members, 26,808 residents.
$9,600 for Fairview Heights ($800 per month), 10 members, 16,706 residents.
- $19,419 for St. Clair County Board, 29 members, 257,400 residents.
This story was originally published October 4, 2022 at 11:01 AM.
