PORTAGE (WKZO AM/FM) — Just before polls closed last night The Portage City Council voted to give their City Manager an 11% raise, a decision that was not unanimous.
They had planned to do their review at their last meeting, but one of the Council Members was absent. It followed a lengthy evaluation process in which Manager Larry Shaffer got high marks, exceeding expectatons in all the ranking categories.
The committee that set the compensation recommendation said it was more in line with what other cities are paying, and justifyable because Shaffer had started out at a lower than usual salary.
Still Councilman Terry Urban said it was unprecedented and he could not support it.
In addition to the raise, Shaffer will get a $5000 bonus, 35-days of paid vacation and a hike in his car allowance to $700 a month.
Councilmember Claudette Reid proposed an alternative, a 5% raise with a 13-thousand dollar bonus, which came to the same total, but with a raise that was closer to what other employees got.
It was defeated.
It brings the Manager’s total salary to $150,000 per year.
