WATERTOWN — Faced with a financial crunch caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic last spring, the city’s management team agreed to take 2% pay cuts, saving the city $56,000.
But half of those pay cuts are now being restored after the first six months of the current fiscal year came in better shape than expected. City Council members will also be getting half of their $2,000 pay cut, as well.
Council members approved a resolution on Monday night to reinstate half of the pay cuts. As a result, the 32-person management and non-union employees will be going back to the pay levels they had during the 2019-20 fiscal year.
With the $1,000 pay cuts, Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith will be paid about $16,713 this fiscal year, while council members will receive about $12,314.
Their pay levels will go back to annual rates of $17,713 and $13,314, respectively.
City Manager Kenneth A. Mix said the city can reinstate half of the pay cuts because sales tax revenue is above projections and total revenue is about $700,000 more than budgeted.
The additional cost to the city will be a total of $37,000 for the last six months of the current fiscal year, which will include $5,000 for the cost of the City Council pay restoration.
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