Athens City Council members approved several Halloween-related ordinances at their meeting on Tuesday night, including suspending the city’s noise ordinance and allowing vending uptown during Halloween Weekend.
“We do, of course, have to suspend the noise ordinance for Halloween,” Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward said, referring to the live stage performances and music during Halloween weekend, Oct. 27-29.
According to a previous Post report, the ordinances are the same as in 2016.
Council members also debated paying a new director of arts, parks and recreation a higher salary than in the past. The salary would be higher than the salary of the previous director. The new director, whose name has not yet been released, is being given $71,000 — which council member Pete Kotses, D-At Large, said was around a $6,000 increase from previous hiring salaries.
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson said the new salary was the median for Arts, Parks and Recreation directors in Ohio, and would be a “significant” pay decrease for the individual.
“It’s not the extreme on one end, and it’s not the low on one end,” Patterson said. “This is the middle point. This is not a salary bump for this individual. It’s a significant decrease.”
According to payscale.com, the average national salary for Arts, Parks and Recreation Directors is $59,139, but can be as high as $99,000 depending on experience.
Council members were divided on the issue. It was supported by members Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, Arian Smedley, D- At Large, and Chris Butler, D-1st Ward. It was opposed by members Patrick McGee, I-At Large, Kotses and Papai. Councilman Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward, was not present at the meeting.
McGee said the pay increase was too much for him to support the ordinance.
“It’s, to me, like going out and buying a Porsche instead of a Chevy,” McGee said. “The citizens of Athens do not expect that kind of salary to be paid to department heads.”
Patterson said McGee’s analogy was “humorous,” but wrong.
“I typically don’t think of people as cars,” Patterson said.
Councilman Kent Butler said he is in favor of saving money, but said the new salary was less than the previous Director of Arts, Parks and Recreation’s.
“I’m a very frugal person,” Butler said. “I’ll drive my cars until the tires run off the road ... I can acknowledge that this person would be making less than their predecessor. It is within our budget and within our means.”
Butler said he trusts Patterson to make hiring and salary decisions.
“I have to trust the executive branch that they’re making the right decision and hiring the best person for the job,” he said.
A vote resulted in a 3-3 tie, which was broken by Council President Chris Knisely in favor of the ordinance.
“The mayor is the executive office and deals with a lot of the administration,” Knisely said. “That is his responsibility. He has worked with the city auditor to assure that there would be money available.”
