Palatine officials agree to new salary schedule for employees

Palatine officials Monday adopted the village’s 2013 budget and, with it, a new salary schedule for employees.

Village staff members not part of a union or management will receive a 2 percent raise, up from a 1 percent increase during the current fiscal year.

“We’re on stable ground right now, so we were able to do this,” Village Manager Reid Ottesen said. “The biggest financial issue for us right now is still pensions and the need for reform, but revenues are starting to grow again.”

Palatine’s budget next year calls for new no fees aside from an anticipated, minor hike to the water and sewer rates to fund infrastructure improvements. The budget also reduces the property tax levy by $75,000, the second consecutive decrease.

All other employees making up Palatine’s staff of roughly 340 full-time workers have the potential for salary increases, as well.

Employees in the firefighters union will see a 2 percent salary adjustment as a result of the current collective bargaining agreement, while the Public Works employees are in negotiations for a new contract, which expires at the end of the year.

A wage adjustment for police officers is still under discussion, which will continue this week when village and union representatives meet. The current contract calls for union members to receive a salary hike that falls at the midpoint of raises given by neighboring departments. Some of those area contracts have yet to be settled, however, so negotiators could agree on their own percentage.

Palatine’s management and executive leadership are not guaranteed raises, but can receive merit increases based solely on performance, Ottesen said.