By: Diane Benjamin
Last night’s Normal Town Council meeting will take more than one story.
It’s becoming really easy to tell the political leanings of people just through one thing: Do they put people in boxes?
People who lean left, even if they claim to be Republican, segregate people by all possible means: gender, race, sexual identity, education level, religion, etc etc etc.
People who lean right believe people aren’t groups, they are individuals. The first thing they see in people has nothing to do with the above descriptions. Character matters, not the “box”.
If a right leaning person isn’t happy with an individual it is a massive error in judgement to believe any criticism is because of a “box”.
Putting people in “boxes” was on full display during the Normal Town Council meeting last night. The topic was Pam Reece’s raise. Objections to her salary have ZERO to do with her being a woman. Kathleen Lorenz accused objectors of sexism.
First: Recce’s performance review took place in April of 2019. Yes folks, close to a year ago. That was before the current Council was seated. The real question is why did the previous Council not think Reece deserved a raise? Kathleen Lorenz, was it because she is a woman?
Stan Nord abstained from voting because he was not on the Council when Reece’s performance review took place. Lorenz attacked him for that and even pulled out “women make 84% of what men do” line when it doesn’t apply to Reece. She is now getting paid more than the last City Manager when he had much more experience. Karyn Smith thought Reece deserved the increase because CEO’s in the private sector make much more.
A City Manager isn’t a CEO!
CEO’s are responsible for making money. City Manager’s use other people’s money to perform services those people can’t do for themselves. Maybe somebody on the Council should have looked at this:
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=City_Manager/Salary
At $190,500 plus car allowance, free insurance, and pension her total compensation is way off the scale. Is she overpaid because she’s a woman Kathleen? Is the City Manager making so much because previous Council’s merely rubber stamped all increases? How much is too much to pay and why don’t citizens have a right to object? Obviously being “public servants” is out of style.
Nobody answered the elephant in the room: Why didn’t the previous Council give her a raise? How would they feel if after a performance review an increase was delayed for almost a year?
Hear Lorenz at 1:17:40. Hear Karyn Smith at 1:08:40. Stan Nord is at 1:07:40. he also responded to Lorenz’s accusation after she spoke.
Two people spoke at public comment about her salary. Ron Ulmer was first – see 39:30. He detailed all the failings that no one has been held accountable for. Later some Council members claimed Reece wasn’t responsible, a CEO would have been. Following Ron was Koos buddy Dave Shields. He couldn’t say enough fabulous things about Reece.
By the way, the property Normal owns that they shouldn’t be paying property taxes on STILL shows taxable in the County records. Reece continues to throw money away.
Kathleen: Has Reece failed to change the status because she’s a woman or is this somehow Stan’s fault?
I’m all for people earning as much as they can/want. But $190k for a “public servant” is outrageous.
Public servants are paid by the public – and therefore, aren’t supposed to be highly paid. That’s why you have a car, a pension, and rich benefits – you won’t be paid as much as you would be in the private sector.
Somehow, somewhere along the way, we got the idea that “public servants” should be paid like private employees….AND KEEP the rich benefits that are supposed to compensate for lower salaries.
Wasn’t this just an out and out nepotistic hire from the beginning?
She has worked for Normal for around 29 years.
Assisted by her mommy-in-law her got her through the side door.
😆 Funny!
I am tired of this CEO crap. If one thinks Reece can do better money as a CEO then get off your butt and find her that job. Highly unlikely it will ever happen. Used to be an old saying those who can do, those who can’t teach. Tari Renner is a shining example. There should also be a saying that those who can manage a business (as a CEO) do, those who can’t manage in city government. Face it most people in city government paid positions are those who can’t make it in the private sector. They get there in Illinois thru friends, under the table money and quid pro quo.
If a CEO does not do what is necessary to make money, they are replaced. A CEO is held accountable.
Normal’s town manager has no responsibility to make money and likely no concept of how. All money she spends is taken from those who make less than $250,000/year. If Pam wastes money and refuses to spend efficiently without consequence there is no accountability, taxpayers just suffer.
She feels she is entitled to an annual raise. The government perpetuates the entitlement culture. Is in the real world can easily go years without a raise. I have even been paid less because the company did not make a profit in the past.