City of Decorah's supervisors to receive modest pay raise

The Decorah City Council has voted 3-2 to fully fund a merit-based pay schedule instead of giving a five percent across-the-board pay raise to its non-union and supervisory staff.

The move, supported Monday by city council members Jody Niees, Bill Wagner and Paul Wanless, was not without controversy.  City council member Gary Rustad, who voted against the proposal along with Randy Schissel, supported the across-the-board pay raise, pointing out that money for such a pay raise had been appropriated in the city's budget.  But Wanless countered that any money not spent on pay raises would stay in the general fund and Niess stated, "I can't see a five percent (pay) raise."

The proposal approved Monday night gives non-union and supervisory personnel a 0.5 percent pay raise and the chance to apply for merit-based pay raises.