Politics & Government

North Canton Council Unanimously Approves Raises for Elected Officials

In response to the news, former city councilman Chuck Osborne has pledged to sue North Canton over the decision.

The vote was unanimous. 

North Canton City Council voted 6-0 in favor of pay raises for elected officials at Monday night's meeting, which should allow for Council members and the mayor to receive higher salaries after November's general election. 

The only obstacle is former councilman Chuck Osborne, and his plan to sue the city for pushing the legislation through over a one-month period by deeming it an "emergency" measure.

"If they want to duke this out, we'll put this in the hands of the courts," said Osborne in the Canton Repository. 

Council may read a proposed ordinance three times before it's voted on, but more often, it approves legislation under emergency measures if it has good reason. 
Emergency measures require only one reading with six of the seven council members voting “yes.” Monday's reading marked the second reading on the pay raises. 

According to council president Jon Snyder, Ward 4, council's good reason, in this case, was the raises needed to be approved 30 days before an Aug. 7 deadline, which is outlined in the city charter.

If the legislation hadn't passed on Monday, it would have taken another two years for the raises to go into effect, he said. 

If the compensation measure is enacted, the mayor's part-time annual salary would increase 16 percent from $15,000 to $17,400.

The council president would receive a 42 percent raise, boosting the existing salary from $5,700 to $8,100 a year, and the six council members’ salaries would increase 50 percent from $4,800 to $7,200 a year.

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The raises will cost the city an extra $19,200 per year. 

North Canton's elected officials haven't received pay increases since 2002.

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