The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Peru – The Peru Town Board passed a Final 2021 Town Budget at a Monday, November 16th Special Meeting. The Final Budget did not include the Preliminary Budget’s 18% pay raise for the town supervisor and 10% for town councilor positions. The supervisor and councilors also declined the 2.5% raise most other employees will receive. Youth Director John Flynn also notified the Board that he would not accept his 2.5% raise.

The highway superintendent, water-sewer superintendent, town clerk/tax collector, board secretary, codes/zoning/planning officer, dog control officer and codes/planning/zoning typist positions will still receive the raises included in the Preliminary Budget. They range from 3.7% to 7 %. (Click here to review Preliminary Budget raise details)

Town Supervisor Brandy McDonald and Counselors Jim Douglass, Melvin Irwin, Rick Barber and Kregg Bruno expressed the same theme. Given the pandemic and all that’s going on, 2021 is the wrong time to vote themselves a raise. Referring to the town’s upcoming significant projects, Councilman Rick Barber said, “I feel our actions this coming summer will speak for themselves.”