4-25-14 waupun mayor, aldermen start new term with hefty pay raise

The newly elected Waupun mayor says he wants the common council to reconsider hefty  pay increases for at least his position at their first meeting in May.  Mayor Kyle Clark says the pay increase proposal came out of the blue last fall during budget discussions.  "This happened under the former mayor's tenure.  She did have an opportunity to decline the increase or veto the increase and neither was done,'  Clark told AM 1170 WFDL's Between the Lines program.  "When I announced my candidacy for mayor that definately would have been a campaign issue."   Former mayor Jodi Steger decided against running for re-election.  Under the plan approved by the council last November re-elected aldermen Pete Kaczmarski, Ryan Mielke and Nancy Vanderkin now get $6000 annually…a 33 percent increase.   Clark’s annual salary is $10,000…up from the $6000  Steger was receiving.   Clark decided to run for mayor after he was announcing that he was retiring as city administrator.  Clark points out the city has saved money by consolidating the administrator and treasurer positions and now leaving the administrator position vacant for the time being.   The council says it will take a  “wait and see”  approach before deciding about filling the administrator’s position.