Fairview Heights votes down $26,000 raise for economic development director

The Fairview Heights City Council has voted against a proposed 37 percent pay increase for economic development director Mike Malloy.

Malloy contract expired last May and was seeking a new contract that included a $26,000 raise, from $71,000 a year to $97,000 a year through 2017.

However, Council members voiced their concern over such a large pay increase. Ward 2 Alderman Roger Lowry said Malloy had done a good job and was more than worthy of a pay increase, but not at 37 percent.

“I would like to see Mike get a raise, but I can’t agree with the rate of the increase,” Lowry said.

Ward 5 Alderman Bill Poletti said Malloy deserved the wage increase and had been working for a wage below what other professionals in municipalities similar to Fairview Heights, but Poletti said he could not approve such a large one-time increase.

“Mike should have been making this a long time ago,” Poletti said. “He is a proven asset to the city.”

“It’s not the kind of job Mike has done, but the percentage of the increase,” Poletti said, before voting “no.”

Ward 3 Alderwoman Pat Baeske was the sole “yes” vote among the nine council members in attendance. Ward 3 Alderwoman Brenda Wagner voted “present.” Ward 4 Alderwoman Carol Warner was absent.

Baeske said Malloy has done an excellent job as the city economic development director and was more than deserving of the requested pay raise.

“He has more than earned his salary,” Baeske said. “He has exceeded my expectations by more than 1,000 percent.”

Malloy attended the meeting and declined to comment.

Malloy was initially hired by the city in 2011, after having served in a similar position for the city of Belleville for 10 years until 2007.

Mayor Mark Kupsky said Malloy was hired at about $65,000 a year, a relatively low salary compared to other economic development officials.

“Mike’s done great job for the city,” Kupsky said. “There’s a lot of projects that he’s brought to the city and that he is currently working with. The real issue came down to the percent of increase, I think. I don’t think anybody questioned his ability or talents.”

Kupsky said he does not know what Malloy will decide to do next. Kupsky said he had talked to Malloy about possibly continuing to work for the city through the end of the year if his contract was not renewed.

This story was originally published August 18, 2015 at 9:16 AM with the headline "Fairview Heights votes down $26,000 raise for economic development director."