12/16/2006

Pay raise puts supervisor's salary in line with treasurer's and clerk's

Also, judge upholds defamation decision

bY Christine Finger

cfinger@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Elmwood Township's supervisor, clerk and treasurer are set to earn the same salary for the first time in two years.

Board members on Thursday voted to pay Supervisor Derith Smith, Clerk Connie Preston and Treasurer Debbie Street each $35,750 in 2007.

The amount reflects a 3 percent increase for Preston and Street. Smith requested a $3,750 pay raise for 2007, an 11.7 percent increase that brings her salary in line with the clerk and treasurer.

The supervisor's salary was approved 5-1, with Street casting the opposing vote. The clerk's and treasurer's compensation received unanimous support.

Street wants the township to adopt a salary policy that would require officials to work their way up the pay scale after they are elected.

"I think it's the responsible thing to do with taxpayer money,” she said.

Debate about the supervisor's compensation has proven contentious since Smith was elected in 2004. The previous township board voted to cut her starting pay from $33,384 to $28,000 and said the reduction was based on her lack of experience in the full-time position.

The salary decisions moved more swiftly than last year, when the board failed to approve eight different resolutions on the supervisor's salary before a majority of members agreed to pay Smith $32,000 for 2006.

The board also adopted the township's 2007 budget. It reflects expenditures totaling $782,612 and $782,730 in general fund revenues. The four township trustees will each earn $2,720 in 2007, up from $2,640 last year. Trustees also receive $100 for each township special meeting.

In an unrelated township matter, Circuit Judge Philip Rodgers this week upheld a Leelanau County jury's decision last month that former Elmwood Township trustee John Stanek, former supervisor Noel Flohe and resident Donald Barrows make a public apology to Smith after defaming her in an anonymous mailing sent to township residents during the 2004 campaign.

The decision called for the defendants to publish the apology within 10 business days in the form of legal notices in the Record-Eagle and the Leelanau Enterprise. The jury also ordered them to pay Smith a combined $107,000, including $12,000 to pay for her 2008 campaign.

Grant Parsons, Smith's attorney, said he'll leave it up to the defendants to comply with the judge's decision.

"If he enters this order, we're not going to try to enforce it,” he said.