One City Employee Affected By New Fair Labor Standard Act, Salary Ordinance Amended
WARSAW — The current Warsaw city salary ordinance was amended Monday evening, Sept. 19, to stay in compliance with the Federal Fair Labor Standard Act. Members of the Warsaw Common Council voted unanimously to amend the ordinance.
Nick King, airport manager, is the sole salaried employee falling below the new threshold. King’s current salary was $46,037. The amendment increases his salary $1,826 biweekly, just above the salary threshold of $47,476.
Jennifer Whitaker, human resources, presented the ordinance stating the amendment must be approved before Dec. 1. She requested the ordinance go into effect with the remaining eight payroll periods. “We have no control. Either we choose not to adopt the ordinance and pay time and a half for anything over 40 hours or adopt the ordinance,” said Whitaker.
Mayor Joe Thallemer echoed Whitaker’s statement. “There is nothing we can do but react or leave it as is and pay overtime.”
The only other business was the adoption of an additional appropriation ordinance, establishing a budget classification for Community Crossroads funds.
Mike Loher, a member of the Indiana Bicentennial Committee for Kosciusko County, presented information on the local bicentennial celebration events. Loher distributed the local celebration schedule for Sept. 29-Oct. 1. “It is less than two weeks away and I want to formally invite you to any and all the events,” Loher stated.
He announced the torch relay will be traveling through the county, beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Warsaw Community High School and ending in Syracuse around noon. That evening, at 7 p.m. the “Decades of Music” program will be held at the Grace College Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center. More than 1,000 local musicians will be performing music written about Indiana or written by Indiana authors.
Loher noted the street party Friday, Sept. 30, on Buffalo Street and highlighted several events Saturday, Oct. 1, including the parade at 10 a.m. Starting at Boggs Industrial Park and traveling up Center Street to Bronson and ending at the fairgrounds. He encouraged city council members to participate in the parade. “The highlight of the day will be the presentation by NASA,” stated Loher. The event, “The Journey To Mars Begins Here,” will be at 4 p.m. at Lakeview Middle School.
Several items were brought to the board’s attention during the meeting.
Thallemer stated a copy of the 2017 salary ordinance should be available by the end of the week after numbers are received regarding health insurance. He announced the Oct. 3 meeting will be the first reading of the ordinance and the Oct 17 meeting will be the second reading. The ordinance needs passed by the end of October.
Mike Klondaris, councilman, asked if the board could look at the “Wagoner” study used in relation to the salaries. It was noted the report was available in the HR office but this report, which was completed in 2014, was just one resource used for salary recommendations.
Ron Shoemaker raised several questions including where was the money stolen 2 ½ years ago from the street department. Thallemer stated Marc Campbell, one of the individuals involved, will be going to court in February. As for Francis Lacey and others involved, he could not comment and directed questions to the prosecutor’s office.