Raises prompt filing in Warren

Councilman not happy with legislation granting pay increases

WARREN -- A referendum petition regarding the recently approved city pay raise legislation was filed earlier this week with the city auditor's office.

The petition, which was signed and initiated by Councilman Ken MacPherson, D-at-Large, was dropped off to city Auditor Vincent Flask by resident James Walker on Monday.

The petition pushed by MacPherson needs signatures from 10% of city voters from the last governor's election, which MacPherson said was 9,435 votes in the 2022 general election.

MacPherson said the petition must receive 944 valid signatures, which must be sent to the auditor by Dec. 8 -- 30 days after the initial passage of the ordinance.

MacPherson opposed the legislation several times. He was one of two council members to vote against the ordinance on Nov. 8. The other dissenting member was Andrew Herman, D-2nd Ward.

MacPherson said he generally is in favor of pay raises and that he thinks they are needed, especially for council. However, he opposes this specific legislation.

"Had they done this with a little bit cleaner legislation, I would have been on board," MacPherson said. "It just shocks the good senses of anybody.

It's so obscene and obnoxious that it forces us to do this petition drive for a referendum."

Council Finance Chairman Greg Greathouse, D-3rd Ward, was the main sponsor of the legislation. He said he was not surprised by the news of the referendum effort.

"That's not a surprise, it was expected," Greathouse said. "He said all along that he was going to do it."

MacPherson described the pay raises as "problematic." He argued that the ordinance was in violation of Ohio Revised Code section 731.07, which states "The salary of any office of a city shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which he was elected or appointed."

Greathouse said the section of ORC is not a concern. He cited recent legislation approved by the city of Niles as his reasoning.

In December 2022, Niles council approved a measure to increase the salaries of several elected and appointed officials, including the mayor.

According to the legislation, the annual salary of the mayor of Niles (Steve Mientkiewicz) will increase from $88,000 in 2024 to $95,000 in 2027. Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz has made $70,085 per year since 2020.

"It shouldn't be a concern," Greathouse said. "The city of Niles did the very same thing for the mayor. The mayor is in line for raises every year for the next three years and they already voted on it. It's already been done."