Are you disgusted yet? The city manager received a 9 percent ($11,000) raise, on top of a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment increase at the beginning of the year.  The councilmen you elected to represent your interests and how your tax dollars are spent unanimously approved this expenditure! The justification for this increase is stated to be that after a market study and performance review the raise was enacted so the city could compete salary-wise with other local communities. I wonder how it is that the highest position in the city can get a market study and performance review, but it’s not done for all employees? I know some of you will say that all city employees are paid too much, but I can tell you many long-term employees who have dedicated their lives and careers to the city are trying to save tax dollars and give you all that they can with what they have to work with.

Go get a job description for the city manager’s position, and you will find that it states he/she “works under the policy direction and oversight of the City Council.” It also lists typical duties performed, knowledge, skills and abilities and minimum qualifications. From this list you can decide how many of the requirements for this position are currently being met.

Another interesting document to get and read is our city’s Charter. Section 2.01 Council-Manager plan states “The council exercises the legislative powers of the city and determines matters of policy.  The city manager is responsible to the council for proper administration of city affairs.” (A note here is that your elected councilmen are responsible to you.) It also lists the mayor and manager’s powers and duties. Section 6.03 Departments states, “The council may create departments, divisions and other units of the city administration consistent with the charter and law.” (I believe management’s reorganization plan needed council approval and without it the direction of many of the departments affected has been blurred.)

We live in a city that is losing population, industry and manufacturing jobs. Over 20 percent of our population is senior citizens. At www.ssa.gov, it states the average monthly Social Security benefit is $1,360 in 2017 after a .3 percent increase — not a 9 percent raise plus 2.5 percent COLA increase. Yet these senior citizens, along with veterans and all other taxpayers who have not seen an 11.5 percent increase to their income, are also asked to pay for higher assessments, property taxes, utility rates and projects they can ill-afford. Prioritizing local spending should be one of our No. 1 goals, along with holding our local officials accountable for how they spend our tax dollars.

If you are unhappy with the status quo, you need to make your voice heard. Come to a council meeting and let them know how you feel. Send a letter to the editor, go on party line, email your councilor, mayor and city management and tell them how their decisions affect you. The only way for change to happen is to make your voice heard.

Gary Hagen

Albert Lea