By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
In advance of the completion of a nearly yearlong study of the city’s employee wage structure, Whitewater officials are planning to offer a raise to many of the municipal workers.
Backing a recommendation from City Manager Cameron Clapper, the Common Council on Aug. 18 adopted a salary resolution that gives 2-percent salary increases to staffers in a range of departments, including administration, the library and public works.
Other than the police chief, the increases do not impact sworn personnel since employees under this classification are still privy to collective bargaining.
Explaining his rationale behind the 2-percent increase in advance of the study’s completion, Clapper said employees in recent years have been making higher health insurance and pension contributions, in addition to contending with other cost-of-living increases.
“Over the last five years, employees have seen a drop in annual salary,” Clapper said. “The total increase in the cost of living for the Milwaukee region from 2010 to 2015 is 8 percent.”
The city is able to absorb the 2-percent salary increases immediately, Clapper said, because of money set aside in a contingency account within the municipal budget. Through the end of the year, Clapper said he anticipates that salary increases costing $80,000.
The finishing touches are being put on the wage study, Clapper said, and the document is scheduled for presentation at a council meeting in September.
Last fall, the city hired a consultant to dig into the city’s policies and make recommendations on possible changes to the salary and employee classification structure.
