BERLIN – The town’s mayor and council members are set to receive a raise for the first time in 25 years.
The Town of Berlin’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2017 includes funding to increase the mayor’s salary from $5,000 to $15,000, a 200-percent increase, and funding to raise each council member’s pay from $2,000 to $7,500, a 275-percent jump.
“The new salary levels are recommended after comparing Berlin’s salaries to other municipalities on the Eastern Shore of Maryland based on comparative population and size of budget,” Mayor Gee Williams said.
Williams said Councilman Thom Gulyas suggested a pay increase at the start of this year’s budget process, as he believed the salaries were low compared to those paid by similar towns. According to data the town was provided by the Maryland Municipal League, council members in Pocomoke City — population 4,184 — are paid $6,000 a year while the mayor is paid $7,500. In Snow Hill, which has a population of 2,103, council members are paid $1,800 and the mayor receives $2,400.
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11 comments:
THIS is BS the town should have the say ? can I vote to give MYSELF a raise on the job ,top corrupt small town .
9:40 AGREE 100% They can give themselves a raise, but the rest of us can't. Thom is all about himself for sure.
Don't they have to win reelection before they get the new pay?
Technically, they don't give themselves raises. They give whomever holds their position after the next election a higher salary.
If you disagree with the pay, make sure they don't enjoy the money by campaigning against them. ;)
And they want everyone to pay for fireworks.
It's about time that the pay for these people went up. $2000 per year is about 30 cents an hour for the ones who really work and spend the time needed to do the job well. And a lot of that money is eaten up by council obligations, like unreimbursed travel.
Just keep in mind, cheapskates, that these are the people who helped turn your sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere into a buzzing little town in the middle of nowhere.
YEAH OK now there RIPPING the town off who is this the council president? ?
I wanna raise! Every other towns mayor'sand councils get paid more! Where have we heard this before? What was it? That's right. Collective bargaining! Seems the new thing for government employees and who run for offices! No mayor, council , or county executive should be making these decisions! The people need to vote on how much they pay our civil servants!
I can't believe people begrudge mayor and council getting the first increase in 25 years. These new salaries are a pittance compared to the time they spend working for the good of the town.
For the benefit of the author... 5 x 3 = 15. In other words a 300% raise for the mayor.
The dollar amount of the mayor's increase is $10,000; that was accurate.
In like fashion, council member's pay is increasing 375%. 2 x 3.75 = 7.50; thus 2,000 x 3.75 (375%) = 7,500. Their raise is $5,500.
I'll leave it to Berlin residents to determine if the amounts are justified. Each of the officeholders ran for office knowing what the 'pay' was. Don't suppose any of them approached the voters asking them "Vote for me. If elected I need a big, fat raise."
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