Campton debates pay raises, cuts

Campton Hills trustees debated at length Tuesday over where to set salaries for the village's first elected officials, with some advocating for pay cuts to certain positions and increases to others.

As of 9:30 p.m., after more than an hour of discussion, the board had shot down two proposals and failed to make a final decision.

The crux of the debate was whether the village president should receive a substantial pay raise because of the workload involved in the position -- and whether trustees should take pay cuts to make up the difference.

Trustee Charles Cappell was insistent on keeping the total salary package for officials around $32,000, as was originally outlined in a budget presented in the new village's spring incorporation campaign.

But others said the salaries should reflect the overwhelming amount of work officials are putting in to get the village up and running without a full administrative staff.

"This is worse than a full-time job," said Village President Patsy Smith, who currently gets $12,000 a year and says she works 80 hours or more a week. "I don't think you're going to be able to find people willing to put in what I know it takes to be mayor or village president for $12,000."

The new salaries would take effect May 1, when the village's first officials are seated, and last throughout the duration of their terms. Smith, Village Clerk Rebecca Lambe and six trustees were temporarily appointed after the village incorporated last spring.

Aside from Smith's, salaries are currently set at $2,500 for each trustee and $5,000 for the village clerk.

Among the proposals Tuesday was cutting trustee pay to $1,500 and upping the president's and clerk's to $18,000 and $6,000, respectfully. Another idea was keeping trustee pay where it is and increasing the president's to $16,000 and the clerk's to $8,000.

"This is something we're all going to have to live with one way or another (as taxpayers)," said Cappell, adding that setting salaries would be "symbolic" to the public.

At one point in the meeting, Smith said the current salary and time commitment might lead her to "reconsider whether she wants to participate." She later said she most likely would try to stay involved in village politics, regardless of the pay.

"None of us are in this for the money," she said.