SAVOY — The Village Board of Trustees is considering an ordinance that would nearly double the mayor’s salary and mark the first time pay has increased for the position in over 20 years.
The agenda for the village board’s 7 p.m. meeting includes an ordinance that would increase the village president’s salary from $8,000 to $15,000. If approved, the change would not go into effect until the start of the next presidential term on May 7, 2025.
While the version of the meeting packet that was initially posted online stated that the new salary was $25,000, village administrator Christopher Walton said this was an “inadvertent error” that has since been corrected.
According to the proposed ordinance, the new salary is intended to “more appropriately compensate the Village President for their service to the Village as its Chief Executive Officer and for their service as the Village’s Local Liquor Control Commissioner.”
Additionally, if the ordinance is approved, the compensation for the village’s elected officials would be reviewed every three and a half years “beginning with the terms of elective offices which commence on May 5, 2027.”
Per village code, each village trustee has a salary of $4,000.
Trustee Larry Kanfer previously led a request for a study session on the president’s compensation. The board discussed the matter on Aug. 21 and unanimously agreed to the aforementioned terms in a straw poll.
Kanfer told The News-Gazette that the village has a number of projects on its radar — such as planned improvements to Colbert Park, the Curtis Road underpass and efforts to develop a downtown — will help Savoy to grow into “a very modern village.”
Having all of these irons in the fire “keeps the president very busy,” he said.
Kanfer also noted that it’s been about 20 years since the village last examined the president’s compensation.
Existing salaries for both the village president and trustees went into effect in April 2001. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, $8,000 in April 2001 has the same buying power as $14,236.11 in August 2024.
“I just thought it was important to take a look at that and move it, again, toward current day,” Kanfer said.
Trustees will also consider an ordinance to amend the annual budget at their meeting tonight. The changes include creating a new position of deputy village administrator with a salary ranging from $70,000 to $110,000. Village officials said the funding for this position will come from current vacancies within the Community and Economic Development Department.
Additionally, the proposed ordinance would update the number of captains in the fire department from two to three.
“Based on changing needs and efficient management of personnel, an additional Captain is requested,” village officials wrote. “No new funding allocation is required as the position will be funded through current provisions.”
The wages for captains are $19.75 per hour for paid-on-call work.
The changes were previously discussed in a Sept. 11 study session, with trustees Kanfer, Dennis Donaldson, Heather Mangian and Dee Shonkwiler voting in favor of the ordinance and Jan Niccum voting against it.
“There’s a lot going on in the village, which is really exciting, and I think we’re in need of that position,” Kanfer said of the deputy village administrator.
On the other hand, Niccum feels the funds should be spent “on an economic development person.”
“The village manager claims that this person will be doing economic development, but I think we need a person that’s got a really, really strong grasp of economic development,” he said. “And we need to put our money there to help lighten the tax burden on the citizens of Savoy.”
Niccum said that while he would like more information about the need for an additional fire captain, he believes the new position may be “justified.”
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