GALION — An ordinance that would increase the salaries of five City of Galion elected officials has been kicked back to City Council’s Finance Committee.

Ordinance No. 2021-66 came before council for its second reading during the Tuesday, Aug. 10 meeting. Council voted 6-0 to send the measure back to the Finance Committee “for further consideration and discussion.” Council Member Aaron Ivy, 2nd Ward, told his fellow members that Finance Committee Chair Thomas G. Fellner, At-Large, requested that the ordinance be sent back to the committee.

Fellner was not present at Tuesday’s council meeting. Ivy and Tammy Erlsten, 4th Ward, are also members of the Finance Committee.

Under terms of the ordinance, the annual salaries for mayor, auditor, treasurer, law director, and president of city council would each be increased. Following are the current salaries for each elected official: mayor, $30,000; auditor, $39,902; treasurer, $6,500; law director, $45,000; and president of city council, $5,040.

Under terms of the proposed ordinance, the pay for each position would be increased to the following levels: mayor, $55,000; auditor, $44,000; treasurer, $7,000; law director, $50,000; and president of city council, $6,000. Additionally, health, dental, and vision insurance would be made available to persons elected mayor, auditor, and law director should they choose to receive coverage.

During the first reading of Ordinance No. 2021-66 on Tuesday, July 27, Fellner and Ivy both expressed support for the pay increase proposal, but Erlsten said she believed more discussion was needed about the legislation, noting that she “would not pass this the way it is right now.”

Michael Richart, 3rd Ward, expressed concerns that Galion citizens did not have an opportunity to provide feedback to council about the proposal prior to it being placed on the July 27 agenda. Mark Triplett, At-Large, also expressed opposition to the proposed pay increases.

There was no further discussion about the ordinance prior to the vote on Aug. 10 to send it back the Finance Committee.

The next City Council Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 18. It will begin at 7 p.m. and be conducted in Council Chambers at the Galion Municipal Building, 301 Harding Way East. The meeting will be livestreamed on The City of Galion Facebook page.