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Dayton officials defend nearly $300,000 in pay hikes for managers, executives

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By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 12:27 PM Tuesday, October 27, 2009

DAYTON — City of Dayton officials defended $292,350 in pay increases for managers and executives this year calling them equivalent to step increases given to union members, not a wage or merit raise. Some of the increases were retroactive to January and were approved by former City Manager Rashad Young.

Some 379 mid-managers, managers and executives received the 1.19 percent increase.

The head of the city’s firefighters union on Monday, Oct. 26, challenged the increases, calling the payouts ill-timed and improper.

Mike Fasnacht, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 136, said, “I’m not sure what happened here,” but the city needs to examine the raises. He noted that the raises came at a time when the city is facing a budget deficit and most city employees gave up negotiated 3 percent raises for 2009.

“I think they lost focus when they made these decisions,” Fasnacht said. “This is about truthfulness.”

Randy Beane, head of the city’s police union, said news of the increases came out during fact-finding after City Manager Rashad Young re-opened contract negotiations.

Tom Biendenharn, the city’s director of public affairs, said it is the city’s policy to give non-bargaining unit employees compensation similar to what union members receive. Some 446 eligible union members did receive step increases this year totally $762,958, for an average of $1,708 per employee.

“This year, we gave no wage increases, only step or step equivalent increases,” he said. “This is about parity. Payments were consistent throughout the organization. It’s a matter of fairness.

Biedenharn said this policy was set by former city manager Jim Dinneen around 2004. Beidenharn said he is searching for a document that explains the practice.

Fasnacht produced a copy of a city personnel policy statement from July 2008 that said managers and executives are only eligible for merit increase.

“They violated their own personnel policies and procedures to give step raises when all raises are supposed to be based on merit,” he said.

Employees in these management positions often came out of union ranks. As managers, they were no longer eligible for union negotiated step increases, so some of their subordinates could earn more than them. This gave managers no incentive to stay in a supervisory position, Biedenharn said.

Mangers receive smaller percentage step-equivalent increases over longer periods of time than union employees before topping out in their pay band, Biedenharn said.

The average annual “step equivalent” increase for managers was $771 per person, according to city records. Young, whose annual salary was $151,340, got a retroactive increase totaling $1,175.

Step increase information

Below is the average percentage of step increase given to city of Dayton employees by union and the step equivalent percentage give to managers and executives.

Non-bargaining unit clerical: 2.85 percent
FOP: 3.26 percent
Firefighters: 4.27 percent
Building trades: 2.85 percent
Dayton Public Service Union blue collar: 3.61 percent
Dayton Public Service Union clerical: 4.10 percent
Non-bargaining unit employees (including managers and executives): 1.19 percent.

Who received raises?

Top city of Dayton managers and how much they received in step equivalent raises. (Annual salary is in parenthesis.)

Rashad Young, former city manager: $1,175.28 ($151,340)

Stanley Earley, deputy city manager: $1,497.60 ($128,211)

Cheryl Garrett, director of finance: $1,476.80 ($125,798.40)

Ifftikar Ahmad, director of aviation: $1,476.80 ($125,444.80)

Wanda Smith, deputy director, police: $1,435.20 ($121,368)

Shelley Dickstein, assistant city manager: $1,414.40 ($121,014.40)

Richard S. Biehl, director of police: $1,393.60 ($117,873.60)

John Danish, director of law: $1,372.80 ($116,937.60)

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The City of Dayton needs to learn from Trotwood what LEADERSHIP means. Furlough days and a 7.5% pay cut for ALL employees. City Manager, City Council and all the way down. The rank and file don't have a problem making sacrifices as long as the bosses do, too, but the little guy is tired of taking less while the big boys take more. It's called "fair".

Winston
2:22 PM, 10/28/2009

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How dare they give those raises out. I am outraged. The City of Dayton, having financial problems should not be giving raises out to anyone, much less management. There is no excuse for this.
If the other employees have to take a pay freeze the management should be made to take a wage freeze as well. This should be illegal. Believe me I will keep all this in mind when elections come on Nov.3 starting with the current mayor.

Citizen & Former Employee
12:59 AM, 10/28/2009

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"Safety is what this boils down to. There is no way we can provide the same level of service with less people.” This is what the fire Chief said speaking of budget crisis issues.

Yet they give themselves a huge raise?

Hey Dayton! Let's not vote by skin color this time.

Voter
12:06 AM, 10/28/2009

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City Hall is clearly tone deaf when it comes to being an honest partner with the local community.

At this moment, the only way to send a clear message from the voters would be to elect Esrati and Leitzell on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Politics as usual is not going to solve what ails Dayton. Hard work, honest dealings, solid effort to retain-recruit tax paying businesses, and conservative spending are absolutely required if we are to survive.

If you care about Dayton stop talking and VOTE!

Concerned
10:38 PM, 10/27/2009

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Union employees have not received raises. In fact, raises were the issue with the recent threats of laying off 11 newly trained officers. The fact of the matter is no one deserves a raise I don't give a care if they are apart of a bargaining unit or not. I'm educated and no I don't work at city hall...I took a job that would allow me to help the community I grew up in. As a matter of fact I have a degree and experience that would qualify me for a position in the budget office. NO RAISES!

Dude You're Wrong...Again
9:56 PM, 10/27/2009

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