By Ashley McLeod, staff writer
Dec 11, 2015, 16:19
COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Members City Council voted on Dec. 8 to approve an ordinance allowing for a raise in salaries, which has not occurred since 1992.
The increase will increase the salary of Mayor Greg Kochuba from $7,000 up to $10,500. All other council members will go from being paid $6,500 up to $10,000. The change will go into effect on January 1, 2017.
Not all council members were on board for the raise. Council members Joe Green and John Piotrowski voted against the ordinance. Green reasoned that the purpose of being on city council is to serve the community, and not solely for the money.
“I signed up for city council and ran for city council by popular election to be involved in my community,” said Green.
“If we had plenty of money and we were up to date on our infrastructure and other such things I would support it, more money in my pocket. But I can’t look at a constituent in the face and say I can’t fix the broken storm drain in your front yard because we don’t have the money,” Green continued.
Councilmember John Wood pointed out at the meeting that Colonial Heights, while similar to surrounding localities with similar populations, is different in that the city is not split into districts or wards, meaning that council members represent a larger number of constituents.
“The number of people each member of city council represents is several multiples of that of cities twice our size. So consequently the constituents that we serve are more, and are more broadly based. That creates a situation where every member of council is accountable to every citizen,” Wood said.
Wood went on to comment that even with the proposed increase, the salaries will still be well below the guidelines set for salaries by the General Assembly.
Vice Mayor Diane Yates stated that in her opinion, it was “ludicrous” for the mayor to receive only $500 more than other council members and that this should be considered also before approving the ordinance.
Yates also pointed out that of the surrounding localities, the Colonial Heights council members are the lowest paid.
The salary increases will bring the total amount paid to council members, including the mayor, up to $70,500. This is an increase of $24,500 from the current amount paid to council members.
During the same meeting, the council also voted during a second reading to increase the salaries of the Colonial Heights School Board members.
The ordinance will pay the School Board chairman $5,100 until January 1, 2017, and will then up the salary to $6,100 after that date. The other members of the school board will receive $4,800 until January 1, 2017, which will increase to $5,800 after.
The ordinance was approved, with all council members voting for the salary increase except Green and Yates. Yates did not participate in the vote because her husband is the School Board chairman.
