Newly-elected trustee Loren Dwyer said his vote on increasing the pay to the city clerk has nothing to do with his wife being the city clerk.
The Webbers Falls city clerk, Susan Dwyer, will receive $1,000 for extra duties and $350 a month for being clerk and treasurer after the five-member board unanimously voted for the increase.
Susan Dwyer was elected city clerk and treasurer in April. A 2007 ordinance provides a $400 a month salary for the part-time position.
“I didn’t abstain from voting during the meeting because there were five votes. I was only one. There is nothing illegal about voting for an increase on the position, even though she Susan Dwyer sad she has been moving the Webbers Falls finances on the computer.
“It will be quite a big ordeal. There will be lots of training, sorting, organizing and entering information,” Susan Dwyer said.
“We as board members,” Loren Dwyer said, “just want someone responsible, hard working and someone that knows what is going on and in order to get that, the salary for that position needs to be higher.”
Loren Dwyer said Susan Dwyer is doing a wonderful job.
“She’s being praised and getting everything smoothed out. She puts in eight hours a day five days a week trying to get everything organized. She doesn’t plan on doing this forever so the salary increase will remain for the next city clerk,” Loren Dwyer said.
“We wanted whoever comes in next to be compensated fairly. The board will review the pay every 90 days and base decisions on the work done,” Susan Dwyer said.
During the special meeting, Loren Dwyer chose not to accept pay for his duties on the board. Dwyer and new trustee Robert Ogg said they do not wish to draw pay.
“Everyone else except for Dennis Burton has declined pay in order to give the town more money,” Susan Dwyer said.
Burton was elected in April, and is eligible to receive pay. As of now he stands as the only one receiving compensation for his duties.
Ogg and Loren Dwyer were elected at a special election earlier this month and are eligible to receive $550 per month under an ordinance approved in 2007.
Mayor Jewell Horne and Henry Tipton recently suspended their pay until an investigation by the Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office into possible misappropriations from the town’s funds is complete.
