City manager gets high praise, no raise
Commissioners vote 5-2 against raise, bonus, citing revenue concerns
City commissioners are in agreement that Mt. Pleasant City Manager Nancy Ridley is doing a fantastic job.
What they don’t agree on is whether she should get a bonus or raise this year.
In a 5-2 vote with commissioners Petro Tolas and Lori Gillis disagreeing, commissioners earlier this week decided to not give Ridley a raise or bonus despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic.
Citing uncertainty in shared revenue and other monetary concerns, Mayor Will Joseph praised Ridley and said it was a difficult decision to ask commissioners to reject giving her a bonus or raise, leaving her annual salary of $124,848 in place.
Joseph said 2020 has been a tough year and that any employee should expect financial reward, but lingering questions about the pandemic’s financial effect was a concern, Joseph said, adding that he hopes commissioners can
reconsider next year if the money is available.
Saying it wasn’t fun or easy to make the decision, Joseph noted that on-call firefighters agreed to a oneyear extension to their contract without a raise.
Joseph also said he appreciates the sacrifice Ridley and other city employees are making.
Joseph told commissioners that Ridley scored high in employee evaluations.
Several city employees evaluated Ridley, and a majority is confident that she is a great leader with a positive attitude who is engaged with the community and treats others with respect and professionalism.
She also gives encouragement and celebrates the success of others, employees said in the evaluation.
More than two thirds of the employees who evaluated Ridley said she displays kindness, empathy and is trustworthy, provides positive feedback when appropriate, gives credit to those deserving, seeks input, confronts problems head on and works with staff to correct them.
She is also fair, consistent and makes employees feel respected, according to the evaluation.
In casting his no vote, Tolas said he hopes the commission can reconsider next year; Gillis noted that something involving finance comes up unexpectedly every year and that the city agreed to give more money to the Middle Michigan Development Corp.
While Gillis said she is disappointed that Ridley is not getting a bonus or raise, she understands the position and is grateful that Ridley and other city employees remain dedicated to their jobs.
Commissioner Mary Alsager, who is serving her first term on the commission, said Ridley taught her and fellow new Commissioner George Ronan what they needed to know and that both benefited from her guidance and support.
Vice Mayor Amy Perschbacher said she appreciates all of Ridley’s hard work, noting that 2020 has been a “hell of a year.”
“I have appreciation knowing that you were at the helm and steering us in the right direction,” Perschbacher said.
Commissioner Kristen Lalonde said she has always appreciated Ridley’s hard work and that 2020 has been “insane.”
Mt. Pleasant Public Safety Director Paul Lauria had strong words for commissioners when he joined in Monday’s virtual meeting. Lauria said he respects every commissioner, but said they must at some point look at a manager’s history.
From the beginning of the year, which brought pandemic restrictions and recommendations from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and as social unrest unfolded across the country, Ridley was with Lauria, the city and the department of public safety “100 percent.”
“I think people think the city runs itself, and it doesn’t,” Lauria said, adding that Ridley deserves more money than the city can afford to pay.. “In my opinion...she deserves something.”
Ridley credited staff members for their hard work, and their ability to adapt and adjust to new work situations.
She thanked commissioners for their continued support and said she knew it was a difficult decision.