Macomb aldermen agreed to increase city attorney Kristen Petrie’s salary from $72,597.50 to $80,000. The raise will go into effect for the city’s next fiscal year, which begins May 1.
Approval was granted on a vote of 5-to-2. Alderman At Large Don Wynn and Fifth Ward Alderman Dave Dorsett were opposed. Fourth Ward Alderman Thomas Koch and Seventh Ward Alderman Clay Hinderliter were absent from the meeting.
Wynn feels the timing is not right.
“Right now we are in contract negotiations with the other unions and I just didn’t feel like it was quite time to be negotiating a public official contract with the city attorney,” Wynn said.
“She’s doing a great job. The amount of work that she does is a good job. But like I said, I just don’t think the timing was right.”
Wynn said the city is in contract negotiations with the police and fire unions. He declined to say whether the city is close to reaching deals with those employee groups.
Mayor Mike Inman said Macomb’s proposed budget for next fiscal year calls for spending a total of $159,455 on the city attorney’s office.
Petrie is completing her second year as city attorney. Before that, the city contracted out for its legal services. Inman said the city spent more than $210,000 in the final year of that arrangement.
