Zanesville City Council Approves Pay Increase for Elected Officials

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Zanesville City Council came together tonight to vote on several issues affecting our community.

One issue unanimously approved was salary wages for the mayor, law director, city auditor, city treasurer, council president and council members.

Those increases include:
Mayor from $69,143 to $77,371
Law Director from $58,977 to $65,995
City Auditor from $51,854 to $58,025
City Treasurer from $51,854 to $58,025
Council President from $10,582 to $11,683
Council Member $9,448 to $10,431

Council President Daniel Vincent says these boosts were made for the cost of living.

“Tonight the council passed an ordinance to allow an increase of elected officials. With that — in a way — I think you’d look at it it’s not really an increase but it’s a — in order to keep up with the cost of living so these raises are based on COLI which is the cost of living indicator and what that is projected for the next for years and so that’s what they base raises on so it’s gonna keep up with where they’re currently on when you consider cost of living increases.”

One council member, Rob Sharrer, discussed increasing incomes in increments but Vincent says this was not possible.

“We increased it altogether at once instead of in increments as I think we all would have liked to have had — so get a raise each year — but because of the law director — as far as the Ohio Revised code — that would be looking at as getting a raise while in office and he felt that was not — did not fit as far as the Ohio Revised Code is saying”

Other issues discussed was zoning for the Menard’s proposed build.