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Full Cincinnati Council approves manager's raise

Staff

Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney's base salary is increasing to $255,000 per year.  

The full city council by a 6-2 vote approved the raise Thursday along with a one-time bonus of nearly $35,000.  

Mayor Mark Mallory, who hired Dohoney in 2005, says he makes no apology for the increase or its timing.

“Should we give him a pay increase?  The answer is absolutely yes,” Mallory said.  “Because to do anything other than that is a backhanded slap in the face and it’s an actual statement that we want the manager gone.  So you give him a great evaluation and no pay increase, that’s a message that we want you gone.  I’ve seen this happen at this level when people run big organizations and that’s what we’re talking about.”

The two council members who voted no say they're concerned about giving the city manager a pay raise, when other employees will most likely not be getting increases because of the general fund budget deficit.  

Council Member Chris Seelbach voted no on the pay hike.  He said he’s concerned about other city workers.

“When you do a good job, which I think our employees have and if there is potential to give people a raise, what I would like to do is give the people who are making $30,000 a raise,” Seelbach said.  “The people who are making just enough to survive a raise, rather than the person who’s making $230,000 already.”

Meanwhile, Council didn't vote on a plan to increase the fee the police department charges for off-duty details.  The additional charge would cover the administrative cost of the program.

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.