Story posted Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Staff Heads Volunteer To Forego Pay Raise
By TODD WESSELL Journal & Topics Editor
About 10 city of Des Plaines department and division heads have volunteered to forego pay raises this year in an effort to help the city cope with the strain on its finances.
While calling the offer a "great gesture", City Manager Jason Bajor said yesterday (Tuesday) that he is reviewing its potential impact. Among the factors Bajor said he has to consider is whether the gesture would affect staff morale, whether it would bring some high level salaries too close to each other, and how it might affect the city's recruitment of top jobs that yet have to be filled such as a new public works director and fire chief.
"I'm proud of the senior staff for making the offer, but there's the impact it would have on the city's upcoming budget," said Bajor.
He said the dollar effect on the city's entire $135 million budget is tiny.
Earlier this year, Bajor informed aldermen that he would not accept a pay raise this year. He said he did so without any expectations that the city's department heads would follow suit.
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