Small raises for Arlington Heights department heads

Eight department directors and chiefs are expected to be awarded 1 percent pay increases at tonight's Arlington Heights Village Board meeting - the first raises they've gotten in more than two years.

The cost to the village for the increases, which will go into effect Nov. 1, will total $5,671, including $555 due to pensions, according to a staff report to the board.

The current salaries range from $103,000 to $139,000 for the eight men, Village Manager Bill Dixon said. Due to the village's acknowledgment of tough economic conditions, the last pay increase for these department heads was May 2008.

The affected department heads include Gerald Mourning, chief of police and Fire Chief Glenn Ericksen. The other department heads are: Nicholas Gadzekpo, building department; Jim Massarelli, engineering department: Thomas Kuehne, finance department; James McCalister, health services department; Charles Witherington-Perkins, planning and community development; and Scott Shirley, public works.

Dixon received a 2 percent raise July 1, moving his base salary to $175,140. It was also his first increase in 21/2 years.

Continuing drops in revenue such as sales and income taxes caused the board to cut an additional $4 million from the budget this year.

The village also left 30 positions open, laid off 11 employees, closed the Teen Center and ended the police department's Too Good for Drugs program in village schools.