Two SL Twp. officials get big pay hikes

Fri, Nov 6, 2009    to del.icio.us

SPRING LAKE TOWNSHIP — Two township elected officials have received pay raises of 66 percent and 83 percent.

The pay increases for Supervisor John Nash and Clerk Carolyn Boersma — recently approved by the Board of Trustees — are for "additional duties" above and beyond their statutory duties for their elected positions.

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Nash's $15,600 annual salary for state-mandated duties will rise to $26,000 for his additional work of attending numerous municipal and regional meetings outside of his statutory scope.

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Boersma's $30,000 wages will be upped by $25,000 for additional employee benefits, cemetery and Web site oversight, giving her a salary of $55,000, according to Township Manager Gordon Gallagher, adding that there are more additional duties on both Boersma's and Nash's list.

Gallagher said Nash and Boersma broached the subject during a recent board retreat and that board members were receptive, especially after learning of salaries for similar municipal positions.

"The board decided John and I were doing way more than our statutory duties," Boersma said Thursday. "Our statutory pay is not being raised. It's what we're doing over and above that."

Lansing-based Michigan Township Association specialist Cindy Davis said Spring Lake Township's decision "is not uncommon practice."

Davis said she has no records of how many townships pay for "additional services" beyond statutory pay, but that it is allowed under state law.

"The thing with an elected official is that there is no such thing as the number of hours you work," Davis said. "You're elected to be in that office 24/7."

Boersma campaigned on a platform of being a full-time clerk.

Nash said he tallies about 30 hours per week in meetings and in the office for his $15,600 salary.

"You can't really relate hours to defining those additional duties," Davis continued. "Lots of townships pay for additional duties. That's one of the difficult aspects of managing a township. Somebody has to do the work, whether you hire an extra employee for $25,000 or whether you pay an elected official to do that. It's not an uncommon practice and it's allowed by statute."

Former Spring Lake Township Trustee Norma Cook called the extra duties/extra pay scenario "an absolute crock."

"I'm totally convinced the citizens of Spring Lake Township should know about this increase," Cook said. "If the citizens agree and find no problem, fine. But I really think more than once (at annual meetings of the electors) we citizens sent a message as to the pay of the clerk and the supervisor, and for the board of seven people to override the citizens intent like they did speaks very poorly of our board as a whole."

Cook suggested the board should be more accountable, particularly in difficult economic times, when many municipalities are striving to consolidate services and save money.

Gallagher said the township has been frugal with its budget and he doesn't anticipate any budget amendments because of the approved pay increases, which he says put Nash and Boersma more in line with similar municipal salaries.

Comparatively, the Grand Haven and Ferrysburg city clerks receive $55,000 and $58,000, respectively. The Allendale Township clerk is paid $61,800 per year. The Spring Lake Village clerk, who also has treasurer duties, makes $60,500 annually.

The Holland Township Supervisor earns $20,000 for 10 hours per week service and the Grand Haven Township Supervisor is slated for $17,700 annually.

"The overall economy is very much a concern of the board," Gallagher said. "I know wages and board compensation can be a challenging topic, even in good economies."

Stautory salaries for elected officials are approved by voters each March at the annual meeting of the electors. Additional duties and wages beyond state statute are a board decision, not subject to public vote.

Nash said the board's unanimous decision was based on "catch-up" for extra performance.

"I do a lot of things that aren't statutory," the supervisor said. "We decided we should split the pay so the statutory pay stays the same but that there's extra pay for extra things I've been doing that I haven't been compensated for. I have no benefits, no car allowance, no health care. I work 30 hours a week. It's more of a catch-up than a raise-up. There are an awful lot of extra things that I've been doing."

Trustee Larry Mierle said he voted in favor of the raises because of the additional effort from Nash and Boersma.

"We're just now compensating both of them for doing it," Mierle said. "We're bringing both (wages) in line with other municipalities."