MOUNT VERNON – Safety-Service Director Rick Dzik won’t get a pay increase like the rest of Mount Vernon’s non-bargaining supervisors and employees because many City Council members still lack confidence in him.
Dzik was suspended two weeks without pay in May 2021 by Mayor Matt Starr for poor judgment. He was accused of manipulating the council’s voting order for a meeting with several controversial issues and for attending a virtual meeting by College Township under an assumed name. In July 2021 council took a vote of no confidence on Dzik.
Second Ward Councilmember John Francis said council does not discipline staff.
“But if we have individuals and supervisory positions that do the things that we've seen done in the past 12 months, then that's when our job kicks in, you know, is this conduct acceptable? Is this conduct acceptable to the citizens of the city?” he asked.
Councilmember Tammy Woods, representing the Third Ward, said she did not want to give the safety-service director a raise for one year.
“I think one of the things we have to realize is that inflation is going crazy. Consumer prices were up 5.7% last year, so families are paying at least 250 or more per month just to live to pay for gas, milk, etc.,” At-Large Councilmember Mel Severns said.
He wanted the pay ordinance to pass as presented and not with the amendment.
The amendment by Fourth Ward Councilmember Mike Hillier kept Dzik’s pay at $83,364 for 2022. A projected raise for 2023 of approximately $2,500 was below what the original legislation suggested for this year.
Police Chief Rob Morgan also saw raises originally specified in the legislation reduced. His $83,6674 salary for this year was approximately $2,100 less than the original draft. And his 2023 salary was set at $86,184, almost $2,300 less than the original bill before the amendment.
Amber Keener was the only councilmember to vote against the raises as amended.
All councilmembers voted to approve the pay for hourly non-bargaining unit employees such as the mayor’s administrative assistant/clerk of council, deputy and assistant deputy auditors and executive secretaries in the Police and Fire departments.
The starting pay was set at $21.19 per hour for 2022, with an increase to $21.83 in 2023. The rate for employees with three years of experience was set at $23.08 for this year and added 70 cents per hour for 2023.
City funds Cooper Progress Park operations
The council approved up to $150,000 to support operations at Cooper Progress Park. Monthly increments were set in case buildings are sold sooner, ending the need for support. Knox Area Development Foundation (ADF) President Jeff Gotke had told the council help was needed from Knox County and Mount Vernon to cover carrying costs on the property.
The grant was justified because Cooper Progress Park has the potential for creating 150 jobs in 2022, which could generate $54,000 annually in revenue through employee withholding taxes and additional taxes on business profits.
Severns proposed an amendment to release the funds $50,000 at a time monthly in March, April and May.
“It may be that you only need the money for March and April. And we've sold enough buildings that we're generating enough revenue that we don't need to give you the last 50,000. So then we can keep that in our rainy day fund,” he said.
Mayor gets second chance to sell council on membership
Mayor Matt Starr will get a chance at council’s next meeting on Feb. 28 to convince its members to join the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC).
Hillier asked why the city needs to join when the county already has three members, including Commissioner Tom Collier and ADF's Gotke.
“Here's what it's gonna boil down to: This whole Intel thing is a game-changer,” Starr said. “And the big thing that they spoke about is connectivity, or regional connectivity. In all matters, and supply chains and transportation and housing, all of these things, we are going to have to look at ourselves as a region.”
MORPC offers grant funding and also performs grant writing, which would save the city some resources in getting grant applications filled out and submitted, he said.
