GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The person elected mayor of Green Bay next year will get a pay raise.
The city council voted last night to give the mayor a $12 thousand dollar raise over the next four years, plus a two-percent cost of living increase which totaled a $20,000 dollar raise in that four year period.
That will eventually put the mayor’s pay at $102, 298.55 a year.
Before the vote, some said a raise was needed, but the amount was too much.
“I did not vote for that five percent raise,” said Alderman Chris Wery.
With five declared candidates, Alderman Wery says the current salary has not stopped candidates from entering the race for Mayor.
“We know you can’t keep the salary at the same level forever, but I think some of us thought that $20,000 was a pretty hefty increase.”
The raise will kick in after next year’s election.
The council also approved borrowing $2 million dollars for the Shipyard Project, even though all plans are not in place.
“There are no hard offers from anybody that they are going to use it yet, so it is if you build it, hopefully, they will come,” Wery said.
The money will be used for the initial phase of the project.
That includes purchasing property and design and engineering work.
The $10 million plan includes a turf field and an array of converted shipping containers for food and retail shops.
There would also be an urban beach, children’s playground, boat slips, and a kayak launch.
With hopes of having money for road projects, the Green Bay City approved asking the state to approve a $20 dollar wheel tax in Green Bay.
Alderman Wery says there is still concern on what impact that will have on infrastructure.
“The main concern is if we are going to do more roadwork with it. We can’t maintain the same level. Right now we do about 1.5 percent of our roads, we need to get it up to 3 percent.”
There is still some approval needed before the wheel tax goes into place.
