Wednesday, May 19, 2004

City to protect income of those called to duty

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Ketchum Mayor Ed Simon this week won support for a proposal to ensure city employees do not lose income if they are called to military service.

City Council members on Monday, May 17, informally endorsed a new city policy that will guarantee any city employee who is deployed for military service suffers no net loss in salary while he or she is gone.

The policy is being drafted just as Mick Mummert, a Bellevue resident who works for the Ketchum Utilities Department, is preparing to depart for military service in Iraq.

Mummert is a 24-year member of the Idaho National Guard. He holds a rank of master sergeant.

Steve Hansen, Ketchum utilities manager, said Mummert on Friday, May 21, will leave his city post to prepare for military training in Texas, which will commence on June 7. Mummert is scheduled to be deployed to military service in Iraq next November, Hansen said.

It is estimated Mummert could be deployed for service for a duration of 18 to 24 months, Hansen said.

The policy proposed by Simon will pay to city employees the difference between their military salary and city salary while they are engaged in military service.

"The last thing that any of our employees should worry about is their family back home and their (salary)," Simon said.

Simon said Tuesday that the policy was not developed solely for the benefit of Mummert. He noted that the policy could stand for a lengthy period of time and serve as a benefit to other city employees called to service.

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