Bonita Springs employees and council members will get 3 percent pay increases from July 1-Sept. 30 to offset the amount they must start paying toward their pensions.
Council voted 4-3 today to give the increase to 50 full-time and eight part-time staff members and seven elected officials.
“We made a commitment to our employees at the prior budget hearing to support them with a certain standard for that budget year and I see that as a serious commitment,” Mayor Ben Nelson said.
“The next budget cycle is a different story.”
One of the full-time employees — City Manager Carl Schwing — said he will not take the 3 percent pay increase.
Schwing, who began June 6, said he will stick with the $152,500 salary negotiated in his contract last month.
Councilmen Bill Lonkart, Steven Slachta and John Spear opposed the pay increases.
“We should not consider any increases in compensation in the current fiscal year until we find out what the circumstances are with the new budget,” Lonkart said.
Council also directed staff to do a survey comparing Bonita Springs employees’ compensation, including salary and benefits, to that of other public sector and private sector employees.
“I can’t stand up here and say with absolute certainty that the salary and benefit levels are fair or whether the city staff is overpaid or underpaid,” Spear said.
