Waukesha mayor to receive less of a raise than proposed

A gassed Common Council deliberated, argued and yawned late into the evening, trying to decide a salary increase for the mayor.

It set the salary at $79,100 annually, which should be achieved by 2013.

At issue was whether the mayor’s salary, frozen since 2005,  should be increased from $70,100 annually to $81,413 by 2013.

That proposed salary increase was not going to fly, forcing Ald. Joan Francoeur, a main advocate for the raise, to propose that the salary be frozen for 2010, be increased to $73,100 in 2011, $76,100 in 2012 and $79,100 by 2013.

The debate boiled down to the question of how could the mayor’s position receive a raise especially since city employees will be asked to take a pay freeze in 2010.

Supporters of the raise said it was a fairness issue, based on trying to correct a salary freeze imposed by a previous Common Council only on the mayor’s office and not the 550 other city employees.

The council meeting closed with Mayor Larry Nelson announcing that Wal-Mart officials were planning a groundbreaking for the much awaited Super Wal-Mart at West Ave. and the bypass.

It will be noon Monday, Oct. 19, at the site.