Village Of Valleyview

White Wins Again

Feb 13, 2004

Councilwoman Irene White won the council salaries race again. Ms. White set a new standard for 2003 in exceeding the amount she received for serving on council in 2002. In 2002 Ms. White received $1,100 in salary for the year. For 2003 she collected $1,450 in salary while voting to disband the Village Police Department because of fiscal reasons. While safety services were denied to the residents Ms. White insured that she was paid for her attendance for special meeting after special meeting that she and the other members of council held.

Ms. White was not alone as this year two other council members exceeded $1,000 in salary as well. Former Councilmen Bob Graves and Steve Williams received $1,350 and $1,100 respectively. Rounding out the council salaries for 2003 was Councilwoman Sue Huber who received $700 for her services serving the Village.

All told four of the six members of Council received a total of $4,600. Councilmembers Judy O'Brien and Paul Parrish did not receive payment for 2003 while serving on Council. This amount was less than 2002's total salary of $5,500, but that amount was paid out to a total of 9 councilmembers who were in office during some part of 2002.

In August Councilmembers voted to reappropriate the money for their salaries to the needs of the Village and help pay the bills of the Village. While claiming there was no money for them to paid they would forego their salary. All of the councilmembers voted for that measure except Ms. White. Council used the excuse that there was no money and that they had to disband the police department. The Mayor also waived her salary as well to help the Village.

In December of 2003 after having denied the residents of their Police Department for four months the Council held 4 special meetings to reappropriate money for their salaries. In the last month of the year the Council appropriated over $7,000 for the salaries of the Council and Mayor. Money that they had waived to help the Village during the current financial situation they then claimed during the last days of their term in office. The reappropriations measure was passed with the votes of Bob Graves and Vic Graves during the last month of their terms.

$7,000 could have been used to help the Village pay down on the IRS debt. That money could have helped the Village get back on it's feet financially that much sooner. The new administration has been left to work through the problems left by the past administrations.

Here are the totals for everyone that served on council and their length of service during 2003.

Council Member Tot Pay Time Avg/Mon
Irene White $1,450 12 $120.83
Bob Graves $1,350 12 $112.50
Steve Williams $1,100 11 $100.00
Sue Huber $ 700 10 $ 70.00
Note Council Member Huber did not many of the regular and special meetings
Paul Parrish $ 0 12 $ 0.00
Judy O'Brien $ 0 11 $ 0.00
Jack Morgan $ 0 3 $ 0.00
Victor Graves $ 0 2 $ 0.00
Grand Total $4,600

If the four council members who accepted payment had only accepted $50 per month the total would have only been $2,400. What did the Village get for the additional $2,200 for 2003?