Springfield commissioners cut their pay

SPRINGFIELD — With a property tax looming for its residents, Springfield will have about $100,000 more to put toward an expected budget deficit of more than a half million dollars after a commission vote Monday.

City commissioners voted 4-1 to slash their compensation to $300 a month for commissioner pay and $600 for the mayor and eliminate benefits. Elected officials’ benefits and salary cost the city $122,536 each year and now would be closer to $22,800. Commissioners agreed sitting board members can be grandfathered in for benefits, but many have already volunteered to not accept benefits.

Commissioners have proposed filling Springfield’s budget gap, expected at $600,000, with the city’s first property tax.

“I think it’s going to give the citizens a different attitude about the city and the commission,” said Commissioner Philip Dykes, who proposed the cuts. “A lot of them think we’re just sitting there and drawing a salary, but that’s not necessarily true.”

Commissioner Carl Curti, who voted against the measure, left abruptly after the meeting, declining to comment. However, prior to the commission’s vote, Curti proposed cutting the salaries to $700 a month for commissioners and $1,000 for the mayor.

Curti argued low salaries could dissuade prospective candidates for public office.

“The efforts the commissioners have to put up to do this job … ,” Curti said. “A low salary is not going to bring any attention of people who want to do this work and take the abuse we have to sometimes.”

Mayor Ralph Hammond has been an advocate for cutting commission salaries and benefits.

“With the money crunches we’re going through right now citywide it’s up to the leaders to step up and give before we ask the citizens to give,” Hammond said. “It’s showing the citizens we’re willing to dig in our pockets as long as we’re asking them to.”

Grant writer

On the heels of a week of heavy rainfall — Springfield suffering an estimated $40,000 in damage to infrastructure — the commission also approved $1,300 month to pay a grant consultant to seek out federal grants.

Karen Stripling, an expert in public funding, said she would begin immediately applying for all grants available to Springfield in areas such as transportation, beautification, recreation and infrastructure.

“Hundreds of grants come out every month,” Stripling said. “There is no shortage of grant opportunities.”

City officials have struggled with time constraints or a lack of experience in identifying grants applicable to Springfield. But with the city’s needs for infrastructure repairs, Hammond said the money would be well spent.

“Any way we go we’re going to have to spend some money to get grants,” he said. “It’s not going to kill us to try.”

The agreement between Stripling and the city is reviewable after one year. During that time, the city would cut her a check for $1,300 each month regardless of her performance. Stripling was confident the $1,300 could be deducted from grants for roads repairs, parks and residential refurbishment programs secured on her part.

“If I don’t live up in six-months time, you can let me go and you should,” Stripling said.

Commissioners also agreed to allow Bay County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) take over dispatch duties for Springfield’s fire department at no cost to the city.