North Canton City Council Members, Mayor Likely Getting Raises

If all goes as planned, North Canton's elected officials will receive pay raises, which is something that hasn't happened in years. 

Under the compensation plan, the mayor's part-time annual salary would go up 16 percent from $15,000 to $17,400, according to cantonrep.com.

The council president would receive a 42 percent raise, which would boost the existing salary from $5,700 to $8,100 a year.

The six council members’ salaries would increase 50 percent from $4,800 to $7,200 a year.

"I am in complete agreement (with the raises)," said at-large councilwoman Marcia Kiesling.

“I think it’s modest. I think it’s fair,” councilman Jeff Peters, Ward 2, told the Canton Repository.

According to Gail Kalpac, secretary for North Canton's City Council, the mayor and Council haven't received raises since 2002.

The vote on whether to approve the compensation measure will come before council on July 8. 

If approved, the raises would not take effect until Dec. 1, 2013, after the Nov. 5 general election.

Held's and council's seats are all up for grabs in November's election, said Kalpac.

"It's specifically designed that way so they're not approving raises for themselves, they need to be reelected first," she said. "I think it's fair. I've seen the council's workload triple over the years, and let's face it, the city isn't getting any smaller."

What do you think: is it time for a raise?