Des Plaines senior staffers refuse raises

Following the lead of Des Plaines City Manager Jason Bajor, the city's senior staff has refused to accept pay raises this year in light of tight finances, officials said.

In March, Bajor announced he would not take a pay raise in 2009. Soon after, he was approached by various department heads offering to forego pay increases.

Since then, 12 Des Plaines department heads and other senior staff members have signed a letter voluntarily waiving their raises.

"I'm very proud of them," Bajor said. "I think this is unique. This group of professionals, if they are not, they should be the envy of every other community in the Chicago suburbs."

Bajor has been with the city since 2000, and his current yearly pay is $138,000. His raise would have amounted to roughly $7,000.

The city will save about $70,000, thanks to officials declining salary increases for 2009.

"I don't think officially we saved the city a lot of money, but I think it's a sign of good will that we understand that it's a difficult economy," said Des Plaines Police Chief Jim Prandini, who has been with the department nearly 29 years - six as chief. "We thought it was in everyone's best interest to unite as department heads and follow (Bajor's) lead. We're all part of the management team. He set the tone, so we just felt it was the right thing to do for our citizens and show that we care."

In the past year, Des Plaines laid off 12 employees and has been scaling back operations, including privatizing some city services.

Bajor said while the money saved may be considered a drop in the bucket - the city's operating budget is $56 million and the overall budget is $120 million - it could be used to bolster the general fund reserve or help with the purchase of equipment.

"I think the real value of this is in the gesture and showing the community that the group of management and staff that works for them understands their plight and is willing to put the community before themselves," Bajor said. "For residents to have a greater faith in their government, I think that's priceless."

Meanwhile, many of the city's 389 employees who belong to police, fire and public works unions will continue to receive raises based on performance reviews, Bajor said.

"Over 80 percent of our work force is covered by six unions," Bajor said. "We've discussed wage increases, but nothing as dramatic as a zero percent increase."