cur-mud-geon:
anyone who hates hypocrisy and pretense and has the temerity to say so; anyone with the habit of pointing out unpleasant facts in an engaging and humorous manner
The Village Board voted 7-2 Monday evening to give themselves a raise. The raise was $1,000 a year, or an increase of 23.8% according to JournalSentinel reporter Dan Benson. The village president received a raise of $2,000 a year or an increase of 33%.
Additionally, the board voted an expense stipend for themselves of $150 per month ($1,800 per year) and an expense stipend of $200 per month ($2,400 per year) for the Village President. The stipends are actually a greater amount than the annual salary increases.
Admittedly, we’re not talking about astronomical sums. And, in fairness, the raises will not commence until each of the members is re-elected. The stipends, however, apparently will take effect immediately.
The definition of stipend is: a fixed or regular payment, such as a salary for services rendered or an allowance. There are no expense reports to be submitted. There is no attestation to be made as to how this money was spent. So, except for the fact that a stipend can take effect immediately, there seems little if any difference between it and the salary increase.
If we were to look at the total increases as being salary, then the trustees are to receive another $2,800 per year while the president is to receive another $4,400 per year. What a difference a word, stipend, can make.
We have an election on April 3rd. The current village president, Charlie Hargan voted in favor of the increases while his opponent, Tom Kempinski, voted against the increases. Is Hargan so sure of re-election that he voted as he did? Or, is he so committed to this issue that he voted his conscience? The only other answer is that he didn’t think of the consequences, and that is difficult for me to accept given his political career. Kempinski seems to have voted his conscience given his voting history.
I have to admit, it would’ve been a lot easier for the board to simply not bring this to a vote until after the election. I have to commend them for not ducking, but I wonder why was this necessary at all?
