The McHenry City Council voted 4-3 at its Nov. 2 meeting to amend the current budget in the amount of $29,000 for the recruitment and hiring of a new director of buildings and neighborhood services.
The figure is based on an annual salary of $82,000 to $90,000 plus $35,000 in benefits for someone starting Feb 1. Mayor Susan Low said the 2016-2017 budget will not be ready for approval until April, but that McHenry should have someone in this new position before the building season begins.
Nay votes were focused mostly on the salary for the position, which was seen as excessive. Aldermen Robert Peterson also objected to offering a position for which funds had not yet been budgeted, despite the amendment being discussed.
In other business, the council passed a resolution to cut the number of police and fire dispatch stations from six to three and to expand the McHenry Dispatch Center as part of a state mandated effort to consolidate services.
The council also awarded two contracts to HR Green. The first is a $37,833 contract to repaint and repair one of the city's water towers. The second is a $29,990 agreement for engineering services related to the beginning phases of construction on Curran Road.
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