BY LARRY SOBCZAK
EDITOR
The Romeo Board of Trustees gave village president Christine Malzahn a raise of at least $27,000 at its regular meeting Dec. 17.
The council approved the raise by a vote of 5-2, with trustees Zach Fowler and Meagan Poznanski voting against it.
The raise was accomplished by amending the ordinance governing the board of trustees’ compensation rates.
Prior to the ordinance amendment, the president was compensated $175 per month and $75 per meeting attended for a maximum rate of $3,100 per year.
Malzahn proposed the pay raise to the board which brings her compensation to $30,000 plus a match to a 401K fund.
“This has been quite troubling for me the last couple weeks on how to proceed,” Malzahn said.
She said that she has always planned on parting with a 30-year practice of assigning the village president’s day-to-day tasks to a position created by the village council on March 17, 1988 known as the “administrative assistant to the president.”
“My opposition has always been towards that form of government,” Malzahn said.
Marian McLaughlin, who served as village clerk from 1986 until her retirement in 2014, was appointed as administrative assistant in 1988 and was compensated $20,000 for the position in 2014 according the budget records.
Mike Lee was elected clerk in 2014 and he was appointed as administrative assistant by Tadd Siglow who was elected president the same year. Both Lee and Siglow ran for reelection on Nov. 6 but were defeated.
After Lee was appointed administrative assistant, the council raised the compensation for the position from $20,000 to $30,000.
“I am not appointing an administrator because I do not believe it is the best interest of the residents to bring in someone who is completely new,” Malzahn said.
Poznanski raised questions whether the pay raise was compliant with state law that prohibits a village president receiving extra compensation beyond the village ordinance for duties performed such as administrative assistant.
“I’m just trying to understand. You just want to get paid what that person got paid,” Proznanski asked Malzahn.
“For the same duties, yes,” Malzahn responded.
Poznanski then questioned whether the raise would take effect during the current term according the compensation ordinance.
“There is not a prohibition on amending your ordinance,” said Romeo Village Attorney Mark Clark.
Clark researched the ordinance whether pay increases are delayed until the next term of office which would begin in Nov. 2022.
“Your ordinance does not say that,” he said.
Proznanski pointed out that some of the audience members were voicing disapproval of the pay raise.
“You heard what these people had to say,” she said as she gestured towards the audience. “I think we should table this until January. I would like to know what the people would like me to vote.”
“The people voted for me to sit in this chair,” Malzahn said.
Poznanski made a motion to table the pay raise until January and was supported by Fowler. Trustee Bob Hart was against delaying a vote.
“Sometimes these things aren’t practical to delay. You’re elected to have a voice,” he said.
Poznanski and Fowler were the only two council members voting in favor of tabling the vote until January.
Malzahn’s pay raise takes effect in 15 days or on Jan. 2 according to state laws governing ordinance amendments.
Prior to the vote on increasing Malzahn’s pay, Poznanski raised the issue of whether Lee is still the administrative assistant.
Malzahn had delivered a termination letter to Lee on her first day of office, Nov. 20.
Poznanski said that her interpretation of state law is that only the village council can end the appointment of Lee as administrative assistant.
“I think it was appropriate for Ms. Malzahn to say ‘I don’t want you to act on my behalf anymore.’ It does not in my mind address the other issue which is that this was a village appointment,” Clark said. “My advice is that if you want to make a clean break, you (the council) should rescind the (1988) resolution.”
Malzahn said that she plans on taking up the rescission in January after the pay raise ordinance change takes effect.
