Board votes to give pay back to the city

By Kevin Jenkins | April 21, 2015 |

Members of the Leadwood Board of Alderpersons will not be taking home any pay for their services for the next six months.

The board, which includes newly elected Mayor David Henry, newly elected Ward 1 aldermen Matthew Peery and Charlie Lewis and Ward 2 aldermen John Vickers and Bill Resinger, voted 4-0 Monday to place the pay for the mayor and the town’s four aldermen into the city’s general revenue account for the next six months to be used for city expenses.

The previous board, which included former Mayor Dennis Parks, former Ward 1 aldermen Jeff Mahurin and Kenny Meinershagen, as well as Vickers and Resinger, voted earlier this year to increase the pay for the mayor and aldermanic positions. Meinershagen was absent the night of the vote.

Under the increase, the mayor’s pay was to go from $35 per month to $200 a month. The pay for aldermen was to increase from $10 a month to $50 per month with the change.

As the pay for board members is not tied to the individuals who hold offices, but instead to the positions, the raises were not to take effect until after the April 7 municipal election.

Prior to Monday night’s vote, Henry said he can not take the allotted mayor’s salary.

“I can not in good conscience accept that,” Henry told the board.

When the previous board voted to raise the salaries, City Clerk Charlotte Lewis said Leadwood’s aldermen had not been taking their monthly pay. Parks said he typically had accepted the mayor’s salary.

The mayor’s pay originally was set at $30 per month in 1967. It is unclear when it was brought up to $35 a month, Lewis has said. The salary for the city’s aldermanic positions apparently has not been increased since it was put in place in 1967.

In other news, Leadwood residents who own a dog will be required this year to purchase a new dog tag from the city.

City ordinance mandates that Leadwood residents buy a city dog tag when they get a new dog or move into the city with a canine. City regulations also dictate that tags be renewed each year.

Lewis said the renewal requirement was waived in 2014 because the city did not have new tags to provide to dog owners until later in the year. That is not the case this year.

The board directed Lewis last month to buy 100 new tags. The order arrived a couple of weeks back, Lewis said Monday.

Dog tags can now be picked up at city hall, located at 708 Bank St.

The cost for a tag is $5. Those with multiple dogs are required to purchase a tag for each dog in the household.

Lewis said dog owners must provide proof that their pets are up-to-date on rabies vaccinations before they will be allowed to buy a dog tag.

City leaders are looking into the possibility of organizing a shot clinic that would give Leadwood residents the opportunity to have their dogs vaccinated at a reduced price. Henry said the city will not enforce the ordinance requiring dog tags until the shot clinic has been held.

Once enforcement begins, dog owners who fail to buy dog tags for their pets could face penalties.

Proceeds from the sale of dog tags are deposited into the city’s general revenue fund and are used to help cover the cost to operate the city’s animal shelter, located on Main Street.

The board voted 4-0 to accept the resignation of Street Supervisor Van Gilliam. Lewis said Gilliam turned in his resignation about a week ago. His last day is to be April 30. Gilliam cited health reasons as his reason for leaving. He has been with the city for 25 years.

Board members discussed advertising for a replacement for Gilliam, but decided instead to postpone doing so for the time being until the issue of finding a replacement can be discussed in closed session.

Upcoming editions of the Daily Journal will touch on several additional topics that arose during Monday’s meeting including the following: a decision to hold a public hearing concerning a proposal to open an arcade, game room-type facility in the city; a request submitted by Randy Beckett of R & B Tree Service & Landscaping LLC to purchase property from the city; a decision to seek bids for auto repair services; a discussion on stormwater control; pledges to donate body cameras to the police department; and a discussion on hours at the city park.