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The WHOLE story is what Ken MacPherson owes the people.
Lately we have seen our share of criticism over the pay of Warren City Council members, and some of it is warranted. Public officials should always be prepared to answer to the people. Yet one would hope such criticism is founded on the full picture rather than a few figures put forward to stir up anger.
Take MacPherson's recent assertion that council members are pulling in "$500 an hour" for what he calls "part-time" work. It makes for an attractive headline if your only measure is the time spent in a council chamber. But that is not the way the job is done.
Meetings are but a small part of it. The rest of the month is filled with meetings, emails, texts and phone calls from residents with questions about city services or problems with the water and streets. We are in touch with city departments, looking into issues and working out solutions with the public. A council member does not clock out when the meeting is over. To label the position part-time simply because there is no 40-hour week is a convenient way to make the compensation seem excessive, but it is not an honest appraisal of the work. If your councilperson is only working "part time" you voted for the wrong person. One can only assume that is why Warren voters voted MacPherson out of office.
He has also spoken of the need to "hold politicians accountable to you." I am in complete agreement. But we don't require a lesson on accountability from him. We live in the neighborhoods we represent; we mow our lawn and walk our dog and do our shopping here. We see the same potholes and vacant lots and infrastructure woes as our constituents do. You know where to find us when you have a problem with the city or need some help, and we are there to answer.
And then there is the matter of the "pay raise being too much." Let us look at the facts on that. For 15 years, from 2008 to 2023, the Warren City Council did not see a pay increase. Not once in that time.
In the interim, inflation has been at work. The cost of living went up some 43%, and the $11,109 annual salary of a Warren council member has been steadily diminished in purchasing power. At the same time our compensation was on hold, elected officials in neighboring towns were being put on a very different financial footing. Take Youngstown, where council members pull in around $27,817 a year, or 150 more than Warren council people do. Over the course our 15 years of frozen wages, that adds up to roughly $250,000 more than Warren.
Let us be frank about it. Warren did not set out to make its council members rich. We simply let the numbers sit for 15 years while inflation did its work. MacPherson will tell you the City Council "gave themselves a pay raise with no public vote." Just the opposite is true. When first introduced, three special meetings were held for people to tell council how they felt. So, lots of opportunities were given but only two people showed up to the meetings. "No public vote" is a fine sound bite, but it does not reflect the way municipal government is run. The Council sets the compensation every city employees - police and firefighters, water and sewer department staff, sanitation and snowplow drivers, the people in municipal court and IT, prosecutors and lawyers. We don't put any of those salaries to a vote of the citizens. It is our job duty to determine compensation, including for ourselves.
There is a certain appeal to the term "forever raises," yet it is not entirely accurate. The legislation governing salary adjustments is quite clear on the matter: should the city be unable to put together a raise for the union, then none of the elected officials will see one either. In effect, it is an automatic process that turns on the city's own financial standing.
There is nothing wrong with people disagreeing with what the Warren City Council approved. They can think the figure should have been higher or lower, or that there should have been no increase whatsoever. But MacPherson has no right to present a skewed set of facts as if it were the whole story.
And what about the First Ward?
The First Ward councilman has served as the driving force and leader of the Northwest Neighborhood Association for more than 20 years. He has dedicated countless hours and tremendous effort to advocating for the citizens of the Northwest neighborhood. He has patrolled the streets at night to serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for police officers and firefighters. For more than two decades, he has done everything in his power to improve the neighborhoods and quality of life on Warren's northwest side.
That's more than just attending a few council meetings. That's years of commitment, service, and dedication to the people he represents.
Thanks for your great work, HERE'S YOUR PAY CUT.
And what about the Third and Fourth wards?
The Third and Fourth Ward councilmen worked to secure $750,000 in ARP funds for home-improvement grants in their respective wards. That funding helped more than 100 households make long-needed repairs and improvements to their homes -- at absolutely no cost to the homeowners.
That is real assistance to residents. It is money put to work addressing housing needs and helping families improve their homes.
Thanks for putting the needs of your constituents first with ARP dollars, HERE'S YOUR PAY CUT!
And the Third Ward councilman is also working to recover $4+ million in alleged overcharges from Ohio Edison stemming from streetlight-billing errors. If successful, that effort could return substantial money to the city and its taxpayers.
That's advocacy. That's accountability. That's looking out for the people you represent. HERE'S YOUR PAY CUT!
And what about the Fifth Ward?
The Fifth Ward councilman has dedicated many hours and effort to cleaning up debris and litter from his ward. He's organized and led four weekend cleanup efforts, resulting in a significant improvement in the appearance of the Fifth Ward.
He's also addressed after hours illegal drug houses by patrolling late nights and working with the city police and has really had an impact by reducing illegal activity in the Ward.
Thanks for all your hard work, HERE'S YOUR PAY CUT!
And what about the Sixth Ward?
The Sixth Ward councilwoman devoted more than two days a week, all summer long, to cleaning up debris and trash throughout the Sixth Ward. She secured the grant funding, recruited the young workforce, put on her gloves, and worked side by side with those workers throughout the summer. She devoted countless hours to making the Sixth Ward cleaner and better for the residents who live there.
That's not just attending council meetings. That's rolling up your sleeves, getting your hands dirty, and putting in the time to make a difference in your neighborhood.
Thanks for all your hard work, HERE'S YOUR PAY CUT!
And what about the Seventh Ward?
The Seventh Ward councilman walked every city sidewalk in his ward, identifying broken sidewalks, dead trees, and other concerns that needed attention. He then put more than $200,000 in ARP funding toward fixing those problems and making improvements throughout the ward.
This may well represent the most significant investment in sidewalk improvements the Seventh Ward has ever seen. It took more than attending meetings. It took walking the streets, identifying problems, prioritizing neighborhood needs, and putting available funding to work for the people he represents.
Thanks for your hard work, HERE'S YOUR PAY CUT!
And What About the Three At-Large Council Members?
Warren's three at-large council members bring an extraordinary concentration of political experience, professional expertise, and practical knowledge to City Council.
One councilwoman has devoted countless hours to numerous city projects and has been a champion for securing funding and ensuring the continued maintenance of the historic Kinsman House.
Another council member is a former mayor and state legislator who brings a wealth of governmental knowledge and experience to the position. He has tirelessly advocated for Warren's police and fire departments, working to ensure they have the staffing, equipment, and resources necessary to protect the citizens of this city.
The newest at-large council member brings a different but equally valuable background: experience as the former CEO of a Fortune 500 multinational company. He has pledged to put that business leadership and expertise to work for Warren, particularly by championing new housing development. With the Peninsula project and the possibility of significant housing development on the city's southeast side, he has publicly committed himself to helping expand housing opportunities and availability for Warren residents.
These are people bringing years of public service, legislative experience, business leadership, and specialized knowledge to the job. Their contributions deserve to be considered when evaluating the work and compensation of City Council.
Thanks for all your service, HERE'S YOUR PAY CUT!
And what did that raise actually cost you?
I would ask every Warren resident to consider one important number: 97 cents per year.
That is the annual cost to an individual constituent of the 2023 salary adjustment. After 15 years without a salary increase, the adjustment amounted to less than the cost of a cup of coffee spread across an entire year.
Now, as you travel around the city and see the green signs urging a YES vote, consider what that message means. The person who put up that sign believes that 97 cents a year was too much to pay for the work, experience, time, and dedication of the people serving on Warren City Council.
After everything described here -- the neighborhood cleanups, sidewalk improvements, home-improvement grants, efforts to recover taxpayer dollars, advocacy for public safety, and work to bring new housing and investment to Warren -- is 97 cents a year really too much to ask?
So, tell MacPherson in his criticism of the Warren City Council, do the residents the courtesy of the whole story, not just the part that makes for a headline or a carefully chosen percentage. Please consider all the above before you cast a YES vote for MacPherson's negative agenda.
GREG GREATHOUSE
Greg Greathouse represents the 3rd Ward on Warren City Council.