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Resignation of Calumet clerk rejected

(Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette) The resignation of Calumet Village Clerk Kevin Weir was rejected during a special meeting of the Village Council Monday evening, offering him instead an increase in his compensation level.

CALUMET — At a special meeting of the Village Council Monday evening, the trustees unanimously approved a motion to reject the resignation of Clerk Kevin Weir. Weir submitted his resignation due to his duties as clerk taking him from his alternative job.

“As you know, our clerk has indicated that the work load that he’s assumed is heavier than most clerks have done in the past,” said Village President Dave Geisler, “and I will say personally that Kevin has been the hardest working, and best, clerk that I have experienced in my eight years with the council, and I believe for the work he does, he is underpaid, and again — so it basically comes down to will the council consider increasing his compensation level to $500 per month?”

Trustee Doug Harrer said he imagined the topic had been discussed at the recent Finance Committee, and asked Weir if the salary increase would be acceptable to him.

“I really enjoy this work,” told the council, “but just like all of you, there’s a family behind it.”

Weir said he knows of only one way to do the job, and he would not care to do it in another manner.

“It’s not like I can scale back and throw something on Caleb (Katz, village manager); it’s just not my style,” he said. And I recognize that, and I take ownership of that. And if the village only has so much money to spend on the position, I get that. I get that, and I’m ready to move on if that’s what you guys decide. But I just need to pull in a few more bucks, and when I’m doing things behind the scenes at home, in the evenings, those are days I can’t pick up in my other job. I think around $500-525 would allow me the flexibility I would need to do this the way that I’ve been doing it, in a way I kind of want to do it.”

In considering the increase, Weir said he would have to think hard about reconsidering his resignation, if that would please the council.

Harrer said that from what he could recall from his previous time on the council, the clerks recorded meeting minutes.

“I feel like Kevin is doing much more, and doing what he should be doing,” said Harrer, “what our clerk should be doing, what the village expects our clerk to be doing, and I think that wage was originally for someone just taking notes and putting it out there.”

Geisler concurred.

“I’d like to make a motion that we do not accept the Village Clerk’s resignation,” Harrer said, “and that we (increase) the monthly salary to $500 per month.”

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