Village Of Valleyview

Council Votes To Make Money Available For Thier Salaries

Dec 22, 2003

On Friday evening December 19, 2003 the Valleyview Village Council voted to appropriate $7,300 for their salaries and that of the Mayor.

In August when the Council voted to disband the Police Department they stated at the time that there was no money for them to be paid. Now in December with less than 12 days remaining in many of their terms of office the Village Council voted to reappropriate money for their salaries instead of making it available to pay off the IRS interest debt.

The Council voted to pay thier salaries for the months that they did not collect money while they stated that there was no money and that they would not be paid.

Preliminary numbers show that Mayor Graves will be paid $4,800 for the four months from September to December. Councilman Bob Graves will be paid $650 for the meetings he attended. Councilwoman Irene White will be paid $550 and Councilman Steve Williams who resigned at the end of November will be paid $450. Total figures for the council's salaries are not available as of yet, but it should put Bob Graves and Irene White over a $1,000 for a year. Once year end numbers are available they will be posted.

Councilpersons Judy O'Brien and Paul Parrish have not received pay for all of 2003. Both voiced their displeasure with the decision of Council to pay themselves when that money could be used to help get Valleyview out of debt. Recently appointed Councilman Vic Graves waived his salary for the two months he served on council, but he stated that he wanted to see that his son and daughter-in-law were paid. For Jack Morgan recently appointed to council after resigning in February 2003 it is unknown whether he is accepting pay while serving on Council as he has made no formal announcement during any of the public sessions of the Council.

While the Village tries to emerge from the financial burdens placed on it by past administrations it appears that the current administration has decided that they will add to the troubles facing the Village. The money appropriated for the salaries of Council and the Mayor was over half the amount owed to the IRS in interest for the debt not paid from as far back as 1998. That money could have helped the Village emerge more quickly from the debt and on the path to a brighter future.

The terms of Office for Councilmen Vic Graves and Bob Graves expire December 31, 2003. The Mayor Raylene Graves term of office also expires December 31, 2003. At that time new elected Councilpersons Rozena Davis and John Shaw will be seated and Mayor-elect Tom Watkins will take office. Thier terms run through December 31, 2007.