The Way I See It!

2009 Cudahy Budget Follow Up

Posted by Randy Hollenbeck on June 5, 2009

Cudahy, Local Government, Leadership, Taxes, Info

This is a follow up to the post I did called “2009 City of Cudahy Budget Summary”

Some people at Cudahy City Hall are upset that I posted the budget because they feel people don’t need to see it and some thought it was old news.

Be it as be old news, it IS relevant to today. 

As for “The People” don’t need to see it, I could not disagree more.  This is public knowledge and should have been on the City Website in the first place.  Transparency of government that is called!  Something that is lacking and on the verge of nonexistent in the current administration.

Additional info: Also, the Walgreens adjustments, the store on Layton is charged to the TIF, the one on Collage Ave is charged to the general fund.  It’s $ 33,000 each.

In the budget post, Jtozz asked these questions:

JTozz

What constitutes the increase in the Common Council and Mayor budgets?  Isn’t it time for restraint than some 5-8% increases?

If these are payroll increases, does this mean the Council and Mayor plan on working full time now?

JTozz, the Cudahy Mayor’s position is full time and the Council we have is part time.

Here is the rest.

ORDINANCE NO 2294

AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE SALARIES AND PROVIDING FRINGE BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN ELECTED CITY

OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF CUDAHY FOR 2008

The Common Council of the City of Cudahy do hereby ordain as follows:

Section 1.         The salaries of the following officials and employees of the City of Cudahy, commencing April 17th, 2007

MAYOR

Effective January 1, 2008   $60,770.06            

Effective January 1, 2009

Escalator Clause:  Salary adjusted each year under the formula below.

The Accounting Department shall calculate the average wage increase granted city employees under the 3 main union contracts for the proceeding 12 months, as close to January 1st each year and shall apply that same percentage increase to the biweekly salary.  [Salaries herein were set in Ordinance # 2158, approved June 7, 2005]

Plus expense allowance of $200.00 per month

ALDERPERSON

Effective January 1, 2008            $7,200.00 annually

Effective January 1, 2009            $7,800.00 annually

Plus expense allowance of            $100.00 per month

PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL

In addition to any other compensation from the City - $50 per month

CHAIRMAN OF THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

In addition to any other compensation from the City - $25 per month

CITY CLERK/TREASURER

Effective May 1, 2007              $26,540.80 annually

Plus expense allowance of                $62.50 per month

CITY COMPTROLLER

Effective May 1, 2007              $26,540.80 annually

Plus expense allowance of                $62.50 per month

CITY ATTORNEY

Effective January 1, 2008          $50,000.00 annually

Plus $1,000.00 per month stenographic service

Plus expense allowance of                $37.50 per month

Plus $412.59 per month Health Insurance reimbursement until eligible for State Health Plan enrollment.

MUNICIPAL JUDGE

Effective May 1, 2007              $25,674.48 annually

Plus expense allowance of                $22.50 per month

BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN CITY OFFICIALS

The fringe benefits and longevity pay for certain elected City Officials not covered by collective bargaining agreements are as set forth herein:  The Mayor and the City Attorney (when designated) receive full benefits as specified.  The City Clerk/Treasurer and Comptroller shall be eligible for prorate share of the benefits as designated.  Other officials shall also be eligible for benefits as indicated.

HEALTH INSURANCE:  Health insurance shall be provided for the Mayor and City Attorney (City Attorney – effective October 1, 2008), the City Clerk/Treasurer and City Comptroller as provided herein.  The City will pay 100% of the lowest cost HMO in Milwaukee County with the State Plan (95% effective January 1, 2009 and 90% effective January 1, 2010) of the single or family plan hospital and surgical insurance.  The City shall pay 45% of the lowest cost HMO in Milwaukee County under the State Plan of the single or family plan hospital and surgical insurance for the Clerk/Treasurer and the Comptroller (the Clerk/Treasurer and Comptroller are not eligible for health insurance effective the next term of office commencing May 2010).  Such hospital and surgical shall be provided to the employee the first of the month following his employment.  No employee shall make any claim against the City for additional compensation in lieu of or in addition to the insurance premium paid because he does not qualify for the family plan.

In no event will the City pay toward a premium if it results in duplicate coverage for the employee under another city plan.  Annually, each employee shall sign a form certifying that they do not have coverage available and paid for by the City.

Any Alderperson and their families who pay 100% of the premium shall be eligible for participation.  The coverage shall be that which is provided for the regular full time employees (Alderpersons are not eligible for health insurance effective the next term of office commencing April 2010).

The City reserves the right for City Council to change plans or plan, plan designs or coverage or self-fund coverage or retirement benefits in the future, subject to state and federal law.  All benefits shall be controlled by the plan documents or contracts.

Medical and hospital insurance coverage shall be available to retired elected officials who have completed 15 years of continuous service as a full-time elected official with the City and retire on or after 59-1/2.  The City will pay 100% of the lowest HMO in the County with the State Plan for officials with 15 years of service up to the earlier of the age of Medicare or death.  The foregoing amounts paid by the City shall be 50% for the part time Clerk Treasurer and Comptroller.  For eligible elected officials, the Mayor and City Attorney, who first take office on or after the effective date of this ordinance in 2008 the City contribution under the terms of this paragraph for eligible retirees, shall be 95% or the rate paid by the City for active employees, whichever is less.  For eligible elected officials, the City Clerk/Treasurer and Comptroller, who first take office on or after the effective date of this ordinance in 2008 the City contribution under the terms of this paragraph for eligible retirees, shall be 45% or 45% of the rate paid by the City for active employees, whichever is less.

If an official’s term expires within six months of his reaching the age of 59-1/2, he will be allowed to continue under the provisions of this paragraph by paying his own premium until he reaches the age of 59-1/2.

In no event will the City pay toward a premium after retirement if it results in duplicate coverage for the employee under another health insurance plan, or if the employee or employee’s spouse, by nature of their employment or retirement were entitled to health insurance coverage and voluntarily waived or limited coverage.  Annually, each retired employee shall sign a form certifying that they do not have overlapping or duplicate health insurance coverage available to them or their spouse.

DISABILITY INSURANCE:  The Mayor may elect to be covered under the City’s long-term disability program.  The City reserves the right to designate the insurance carrier and agrees that the waiting period for coverage shall not be more than forty-five days from the commencement of any covered disability.

Monthly benefits will be 66-2/3% of the monthly salary, not to exceed twenty-five hundred dollars ($2500.00).

LIFE INSURANCE:  The City shall pay the full premium of life insurance under the State of Wisconsin Insurance Program in accordance with Section 66.919(15)(c) of the Wisconsin Statutes for the Mayor and City Attorney.  The City shall pay 50% of the full life insurance premium as designated herein for the Clerk/Treasurer and the Comptroller.

LONGEVITY PAY:  Longevity pay applies to the Mayor with continuous full-time service as follows:

After five years (10,400 hours) - $5.00 per month

After ten years (20,800 hours) - $10.00 per month

After fifteen years (31,200 hours) - $15.00 per month

After twenty years (41,600 hours) - $20.00 per month

After twenty-five years (52,000 hours) - $25.00 per month

Longevity payments shall commence at the end of the closest payroll period ending after the anniversary date of taking office.  The Clerk/Treasurer and the Comptroller shall be eligible for 50% of the longevity benefit per month after service as specified herein.

DENTAL INSURANCE:  The City will offer the Mayor, City Clerk/Treasurer and the Comptroller a dental plan.  It is understood between the parties that the City will incur no costs for the dental plan and the employee will bear the entire cost of the plan.

PENSION:  Eligible employees shall be covered under the State of Wisconsin Retirement System in accordance with the Wisconsin Statutes.  The City will pay the employee share for the Mayor.  All other eligible employees will pay the employee share of the Wisconsin Retirement System contribution.

WORKER’S COMPENSATION:  Any person having full time status under the Ordinance, who sustains an injury while performing within the scope of his employment, as provided in Chapter 102 of the Wisconsin Statutes, (Worker’s Compensation Act) shall receive full salary in lieu of worker’s compensation for the period of time he may be temporarily totally, or temporarily partially disabled because of said injury.  Persons covered under this Ordinance shall receive the difference between the amount received in worker’s compensation and their regular pay as provided herein.  The difference in such compensation shall be paid by the City until the employee reaches his/her healing plateau, is able to return to work or leaves office for any reason, whichever occurs first.  This provision shall not be construed to apply to cases where any person covered under this Ordinance sustains compensable injury resulting in permanent, total disability.

Section 2.  All ordinances or parts of ordinances contravening the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.

Section 3.  If any part or parts of this ordinance are invalid, it shall not invalidate the entire ordinance.

Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication and all wages shall be paid January 1, 2008, unless otherwise stated.

More relative comments you might have missed to the budget post.

Wednesday Jun 03, 2009 7:26 PM

With all the retirements of large salaries, like the former engineer, dpw gm, and others in PD and FD, I am wondering why the spending increases!  These numbers should have gone down dramatically!  More Smoke and Mirrors from our elected officials!  They gutted the clerk treasurer's budget because the Mayor does not like him!  But never fear, we have an $80k office manager who does not live in the city, and is considered the savior of city hall!  That place is a mess, no wonder the budget is sooo screwed up!  I thought the retirement money was going down, with all the surplus the Mayor used.  Another lie!!  That continues to go up each year!  When, if ever will Cudahy stop being a tax he double hockey sticks!

Cudahy One

Thursday Jun 04, 2009 8:05 AM

Amazing, now they are justifying hiring KEi, an out of city company, by stating budget cuts and layoffs.  When was the last time someone in the DPW was laid off?  Bologna!  Also, their budget went UP, not down. It is a matter of management, and priorities.  They never cut boulevards on overtime, nor homeowners grass who are too lazy to cut it!  Sounds like more bad management of the city, and we the taxpayers are paying for it! Older cops have retired, so their payroll should have gone down!  Half of the FD retired in the last 5 years, again, salaries should have gone down with the new younger, less paid!  More smoke and mirrors, and extremely poor management!