Gillett council responds to budget plan

GILLETT - The plan that is causing so much controversy would not only impact teachers, but also people like your local city workers. Friday one area city council took action on behalf of its employees.

While thousands upon thousands in Madison have reacted to Governor Walker's plans, six people who make up the Gillett city council have also reacted.

The council called a special meeting, and approved a resolution regarding its city workers: people like police officers and members of the public works department. The resolution itself is a bit complicated, but all the percentages and legal language result in this bottom line for city employees.

"Essentially what it's doing is it's going to keep their wages, employees take home wages the same as what they were previous to the bill being passed, if the budget bill is passed," said Brandon Miller, Gillett mayor.

The mayor says before this resolution passed, the city paid the employees, and also paid directly into their retirements. Now, the city is paying the employees more, but the employees are contributing to their own retirement plans.

A few people were at the meeting and didn't want to talk on camera, however said they were upset by this move. They said the change will cost the taxpayers more money. The mayor, however, says the funding has already been budgeted.

"It's basically reallocating," said Miller. "Because right now it is a fact that the employees aren't contributing to their retirement or their insurance at this point. There's no disagreement that we think that that is a good thing that they do contribute. But we have always taken that into account when we look at pay raises and so forth as their overall package. We're not in a collective bargaining unit here. So they will be effected, that's why we wanted to make that pass."

The mayor says if the governor's proposal passes, Gillett's city workers will already be in line with it. If it doesn't, he says the resolution will remain.

Gillett has 12 full time city employees. The mayor says this resolution will ensure they receive a fair wage.