12/22/2010 Pay raises for library director, staff

By Melissa Silverberg 

The director of the Warren-Newport Public Library District will receive a 2 percent raise for 2011, as will the rest of his staff.

Times are tough - the boss isn't getting any better than the troops

The library district board unanimously approved the raise for Director Stephen Bero at its meeting Tuesday night following his annual performance review.

 

With the increase added as an amendment to Bero's contract, his salary for 2011 will be $115,484, up from $113,217 in 2010. Bero has been director of the district for six years.

In addition, Bero said employees across the board will receive 2 percent raises effective in January. The library district employs about 105 people.

Bero said the board and library administration discussed raises in 2009 when the economy was starting to take a downturn.

The board considered giving employees a larger raise in 2010 and freezing salaries for 2011, but decided against it considering the hard work the staff was doing with technology and construction upgrades, officials said.

“We thought the staff was under enough stress and we wanted to be able to give them a little something both years,” Bero said. “We thought freezing salaries would be bad for morale.”

Yes. Freezing salary is ALWAYS bad for the morael.

He said that despite the economic problems across the state, the library district's budget is fiscally sound, according to an audit that also was approved at Tuesday's meeting.

The Warren-Newport Public Library District covers all or most of Warren and Newport townships, including Gurnee, Wadsworth, Park City, Wildwood, Grandwood Park, Old Mill Creek and Grayslake.


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