Dunkirk accepts salary proposal

DUNKIRK — New salaries for 2017 for the city clerk and her deputy were agreed upon Monday at a special meeting of Dunkirk City Council.
Clerk-treasurer Tina Elliott proposed a yearly salary of $37,440 ($18 per hour) for her position; $33,280 ($16 per hour) for deputy clerk Jodi Hines; and $14,976 ($12 per hour) for a full-time/part-time clerk.
Currently Elliott has a salary of $32,177.54 per year and Hines has an hourly rate of $13.73. The increases represent raises of more than 16 percent for both.
A part-time employee currently works the first and 15th of each month when water bills are due and when water can be disconnected.
The total salary budget for the department for 2017 would be $85,696, which Elliott noted is a savings of $1,309.78 from past years.
Elliott also noted that the deputy clerk doesn’t take municipal insurance, which is a savings of $806.00 per month.
Council president Tom Johnson and members Jesse Bivens, Bryan Jessup and Jack Robbins, absent Lisa Street, agreed to Elliott’s proposal.
Previously there had been three full-time positions at the clerk’s office, and council expressed concern that there wouldn’t be enough money in the budget if a third full-time employee would be needed in the future.
Bivens thought only a 3 percent raise should be given but Elliott explained that the deputy clerk’s salary was $16.10 per hour, which is less than what she is proposing. The clerk-treasurer at that time proposed eliminating the deputy-clerk position, but Elliott said one is required by state law.
Robbins asked Elliott if she was comfortable with only two full-time employees.
“Yes, I’m really comfortable with this,” she answered.
Council also agreed freeze salaries for themselves, Dunkirk Mayor Gene Ritter, Dunkirk City Court Judge Chip Phillips, the health and the safety officer and animal control officer.
The 2017 budget has to be turned in to Indiana Department of Local Government Finance by Aug. 12 for its review.