Water Board Tables Discussion On GM’s Salary
By Eduardo Zamarripa, CRI Weekly News
Oskaloosa, Iowa – On Tuesday night, the Water Utility Board of Trustees unanimously tabled discussing the compensation of Oskaloosa Water Department General Manager Chad Coon.
Coon is making $64,800 a year. Coon researched eight communities to see what other GMs are making. That average came out to be about $97,000. But, each department is different as some manage other utilities. The board is still evaluating Coon’s compensation.
“We are still in the process of gathering information to talk about any of that in open session. I don’t know that that would be prudent right now,” says Chairperson Pete Settimi.
The board then agreed to meet in closed session on Friday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. to further discuss the issue.
The board also unanimously tabled the discussion regarding the City Council liaison position. Before doing so, board member Erin Keltner suggested possibly having two liaisons report back to the City Council to improve communication. He also suggested board members regularly attending City Council meetings. The current City Council liaison is Jason Van Zetten.
In a shared services meeting between the City Council and the Water Utility Board of Trustees on Monday, Settimi expressed concern with the information that Van Zetten has been reporting back to the council. Van Zetten responded in that meeting by saying that he just wants transparency.
The board tabled the discussion.
In addition to that, Coon gave his general manager update and says that Carbonado Road has become a high priority issue. That road has recently had six or seven leaks. Coon says the water main located there is old and in disrepair.
“The pipe is deteriorating to a point where we are going to have to address that,” Coon says.
Coon says the Water Department has a capital improvement plan and that this project will have to be moved up on the priority list. Coon also says the department will look at the City’s plan and figure out if there are any projects regarding Carbonado Road that the City is planning on executing within the next two years. If that’s the case, the Water Department and the City could merge their projects.
The next Water Utility Board of Trustees meeting will be on Friday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. when it goes into closed session to discuss Coon’s salary.
