Friday, June 30, 2006

Sun Valley officials may get raises


By MEGAN THOMAS
Express Staff Writer

If preliminary budget considerations stick, Sun Valley city officials could be on the road to higher paychecks.

During a series of three budget workshops, June 27, 28 and 29, at Sun Valley City Hall, the Sun Valley City Council began evaluating several proposals, pay raises for themselves among them.

The discussions were part of the City Council's consideration of its draft budget for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. The draft financial blueprint calls for approximately $6.9 million in spending.

During the three days of deliberations, the council heard budget requests from city department heads.

Mayor Jon Thorson proposed the compensation increase for elected officials.

"I know that we haven't had an increase (in pay) for, now, seven years," he said. "What I am primarily interested in, is that there are citizens in the community, who are willing to work proactively for their community."

The proposal in the budget adds a lump-sum request to increase wages of the council. The specific amount of the raise request may be determined later in the year. The actual allocation of the money for salary increases requires City Council approval of an additional ordinance.

But members of the council flipped the discussion on Thorson.

"Jon has worked harder, longer and more effectively than any mayor I have seen around here," Councilman Lud Renick said. "So far as the four of us are concerned ... $200 a month (more) is not going to motivate me one iota more ... the money should go to the mayor, not to the council."

Each council member now receives a $1,000-per-month salary. The mayor earns $1,500 per month. Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, a retirement plan and a $350 physical incentive stipend for exercise activities.

"The benefit package that the council and the mayor get is the significant part of the deal. That is what I think needs to be adjusted," Councilman Nils Ribi said.

Ribi said the council should evaluate its insurance plan and refuse the $350 stipend for exercise activities, which can be applied for items like ski passes and running shoes.

"It is absolutely baloney for the council to take that kind of money," Ribi said.

The council was split on the physical incentive program issue, but decided to leave the money for pay increases in the budget.

The council debated pay increases last year as well, but the proposal died after Renick and former Councilman Kevin Laird staged a boycott.

"We are here to make sure that our city and our elected officials act proactively so that we put in place working documents ... that keep our city moving forward so it is an active, viable, tourist community," Thorson said.

To move the city forward, the council agreed to evaluate the consolidation of fire services with the city of Ketchum. The Fire Department budget, as presented, assumes no changes to the city's fire service. The legislative budget allocates $25,000 for a study to examine the feasibility of consolidation.

A 10 percent increase in the Fire Department budget attributes a portion of rising costs to high fuel prices. As such, city officials encouraged the fire and police departments to look into the use of hybrid vehicles or biodiesel fuel.

"I don't know how we operate under our (comprehensive) plan without hybrid vehicles," City Administrator Virginia Egger said.

Community Development Department Director Mark Hofman also cited the city's 2005 Comprehensive Plan when requesting an additional full-time employee for the Planning Department. He said the workload to implement the plan's action items necessitates another person.

The city will present the proposed 2006-2007 fiscal year budget July 20 at a public hearing. Also in July, the council may amend the current-year budget.




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