Plain City Council is one step closer to approving a 2023 budget that would increase wages for administrative employees and police officers.
During their meeting Monday, council members unanimously approved a compensation plan update that will bump the budget by $211,633.67.
In a memo to council, Village Administrator Haley Lupton said police department wages will be increased by approximately $135,000, with the remaining $76,000 going toward administrative pay.
Lupton said the compensation study, which was completed by an outside consultant, indicated that employee pay needed an “overall adjustment” rather than changes to specific positions.
Council member Frank Reed said his main goal is achieving “parity” between compensation for Plain City Police Department officers and pay offered by other departments in the region.
Lupton said she believes PCPD wages will be “definitely more competitive” as a result of the changes.
PCPD Lt. Tom Jaskiewicz agreed, noting that officers have not seen a cost of living increase in the past three years.
Lupton also noted that maximum pay steps for PCPD positions will be adjusted to match that of administrative positions within the village. She said police department maximums were previously lower.
Compensation for PCPD patrol officers will also be adjusted to follow a five-grade scale, which Lupton said was already planned for prior to the consultant’s study.
Aside from changes surrounding the police department, Lupton said the living wage is the “main issue” for current administration employees, which also includes those who work in sewer, water, streets, parks and recreation.
She said the study offered options to adjust employee salaries by 3%, 5% or 8%.
Ultimately, the personnel and finance committee suggested increasing wages by 5% to account for rising living costs. Then, employees may receive an additional merit increase up to 3% at their yearly evaluation.
In the future, Lupton said compensation studies will be completed in-house. She noted that the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) recently expanded its annual salary study to include positions beyond just planning and zoning, so it can be used as a resource by the village.
Council also heard the first reading of an ordinance that would approve the 2023 budget.
During the November council work session, Lupton said revenues are expected to be higher in 2023, at approximately $3,719,620, while expenditures will be down to $3,747,456.
“Overall, we spent pretty conservatively this year,” Lupton told council Monday, adding that the village will take on more projects in 2023.
Aside from the wastewater treatment plant expansion, the largest chunk of capital expenses next year – at $1,876,722 – will fall under the streets category.
A budget overview from Lupton lists work on Noteman Road, which was moved from the 2022 budget; an Uptown parking lot that will be constructed near the former Municipal Building on South Chillicothe Street; Uptown streetscape projects; paving projects and engineering for Maple Street and West Avenue.
Water and sewer capital expenses, which include facility maintenance and sewer debt retirement, are budgeted at $1,644,505.
Village officials are also planning for a number of parks capital projects, totaling $847,000, including a Madison Meadows playground, park feasibility study, general improvements to parks and the pool and work on the Heritage Trail, which is funded through grant dollars.
Lupton noted that the village is also budgeting $279,500 for the purchase of a snow plow, police cruiser and other equipment.
Council will hear a second reading and vote on the proposed budget at its Dec. 7 work session.
In other business:
– The village heard from village resident Michael Syfert, who shared suggestions to bolster Plain City’s regulations surrounding noise.
Council recently held a public hearing regarding the village’s property maintenance code, which Council Clerk/Management Analyst Justin Dreier explained at the time as a code the provides guidelines for the abatement of “problem properties” such as those with nuisances like “junk cars” or unkempt areas.
The current property maintenance code falls under the zoning code, so it does not address noise. Instead, the village has a noise ordinance as separate legislation.
However, Syfert urged council to add noise regulations to the property maintenance code.
He said “the restaurant Uptown with the outdoor stage” has had “at least 68 nights” with loud music.
Syfert said he has called the police on numerous occasions to report what he believes are noise violations committed by the restaurant.
He said a line should be added to the portion of the property maintenance code and noise ordinance that mandates “sound should not be audible beyond the business premises.”
Council members thanked Syfert for attending the meeting but did not comment further.
– Ashley Boyes Hetzel, who was sitting in as legal counsel on behalf of Law Director Paul La Fayette, said the hearing of the petition for the creation of the Mid-Ohio Water and Sewer District was rescheduled from Friday to February.
She said a memo from the Madison County Common Pleas Court did not indicate why the hearing was delayed, aside from noting the court’s schedule.
She said legal counsel for the village is working to have the matter heard sooner than February.