A spirited debate about 2018 Fishers City Council salaries will likely be decided at the Monday night council session. On Sept. 18, council members had such a debate in a work session on whether to give councilors the same five percent pay raise other city workers are to receive in 2018.
There was a vote taken at the regular Sept. 18 council session approving the five percent 2018 pay raise for members of the city council, on a vote of 5–2. However, Councilman Todd Zimmerman stated after the meeting that he is not likely to vote in favor the pay raise when there will likely be a vote to amend the provision at Monday’s meeting to finalize the 2018 city salary ordinance. He voted yes Sept. 18 just to allow two missing council members to weigh-in on the issue
That means there is not a guarantee there are five votes on the council to pass the pay raise when the salary ordinance amendment is expected to be voted upon. Council members John Weingardt and Selina Stoller were not present at the Sept. 18 council meeting, but all nine councilors are expected to be on hand for the Oct. 16 vote.
City council members held a private Republican Party caucus Thursday evening before the council’s Finance Committee meeting began (as is probably known, all council members are Republicans). Let’s just say raised voices could be heard at that session, even behind the closed doors.