Springtown pay raises on again, off again

— Town Council members and the town mayor will

not be receiving a retroactive pay raise after all - well, at least not yet.

At the June 9 council meeting, council members gave themselves and

the mayor a raise, doubling their pay to $100 per meeting for council

members and $200 per meeting for the mayor. But Springtown mayor,

Loretta Riley, vetoed the council resolution. Town Council members on

July 14 failed to override the veto, but they again passed a resolution to

give themselves the raise with Mayor Riley casting the tie-breaking vote

in favor of the pay raise. The action was then nullified at the August meet

ing.

Mayor Riley vetoed the action of the June 9 council meeting increasing

alderman pay from $50 per meeting to $100 per meeting and the mayor's

pay from $100 to $200. Her reasons given for the veto, as recorded in the

July 14 council minutes, were the suggestion of another alderman that shedo so to allow opportunity for more discussion, an option for alderman putting in extra time outside of council meetings to either invoice the town for the time or to turn in the time as volunteer hours, and an estimate of the old alderman pay (without the raise) being $35 per hour and the mayor's being $66 per hour - for meetings lasting 1 1/2 hours.

After some discussion of the matter at the July 14 meeting, council member Marvin Riley made a motion - with a second by council member Don Earley - to override the mayor's veto.

The veto failed, with Marvin Riley and Don Earley voting in favor of the raise, and council members Paul Lemke and Kay Taylor voting against it.

Following the failed veto override, Marvin Riley - with a second by Don Earley - made another motion for the increase in alderman and mayor pay. The vote on this motion was split 2-2 along the same lines. But this time, Mayor Riley broke the tie by voting in favor of the raises, which were to be retroactive to the beginning of 2009.

According to the approved town council minutes for July 14, discussion followed as to whether or not the vote would also require the town to give the increase to previous alderman no longer holding the position. With no consensus, the council decided to take no action on the matter unless a former alderman submits a request for retroactive pay.

Don Earley, later in the July meeting, also suggested that his wife, Jolynn Riley - present at the meeting - be appointed to fill the vacant Alderman Position 5.

Lemke voiced his objections, saying he was uncomfortable with having more family members on the town's council.

A motion was made by Marvin Riley - with a second by Don Earley - to appoint Jolynn Earley to the vacant council position. The motion passed 3-1, with Lemke opposing the appointment.

At the Aug. 11 meeting both actions were nullified,according to Lemke. It was learned that Mayor Riley's initial veto must stand since it was not overridden by 2/3 of the council, so the pay raise will not go into effect - at least not for the present.

Mayor Riley also vetoed the appointment of Jolynn Earley to the vacant council seat since the motion was suggested by and received a second from Jolynn's husband. At the Aug. 11 meeting, Lisa Lawrence was appointed to fill the vacant alderman seat, according to Lemke. She is expected to be sworn in prior to the September town council meeting.

In other business, as recorded in the July minutes, Don Earley reported that the park swings had not yet been painted but that Vernon Reams volunteered his time to paint the swings. Earley also reported that he has been doing ditch work on Candleglow Rd., so the rain water would drain into the ditch and then into a field instead of running down the road.

A fire prevention code passed unanimously on its second reading - being ready by title only.

Paul Lemke reported that a fire extinguisher had been installed in the town hall and that emergency exit lights will be installed after a wall is completed. He also reported that the building had passed a fire marshal's inspection. A capacity of 80 was set by the fire marshal for the new town hall, and a sign stating the capacity needs to be posted.

Lacking one signature, a petition to close the alley between Wasson Street and Flint Creek was tabled at the July meeting.

A bid package was to be prepared for the construction

of a new bridge over Flint

Creek at Aubrey Long Rd.

Recycle bins are in place

around the town, according

to minutes, and Lemke was

passing out fliers with infor

mation about the use of the

recycling bins.

Town Clerk Jan Cox report

ed that the street department

account was changed from an

interest-bearing to a non

interest-bearing account

because of FEMA money in

the account which was not to

be drawing interest. Cox also

reported that Springtown was

not included in the Yellow

Pages government listings but

would be in 2011.

Lemke reported that two

other properties on

Springtown Cutoff Rd. would

like to be included in an

upcoming annexation.

A motion was made and

passed unanimously for the

town to purchase a safe in

which to keep credit cards,

keys, checkbooks and the like.

Lemke was to follow up on

the purchase.

Cox also told the council

that the town would be

receiving less in tax disburse

ments from the state due

either to an audit, rebate or

refund. The reduction of

$4,392 would be spread out

over 12 months, cutting

incoming tax disbursements

$366 per month. Cox was

instructed to find out the rea

son for the cut.

News, Pages 1, 2 on 08/19/2009