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To the editor:
For some on Village Council, a proposal to pay Lisbon Village employees a Christmas bonus last month smacks of fiscal irresponsibility, according to a January 12th letter to the editor.
I disagree.
In a letter full of figures, the writer omitted the most important number: namely that the village had a carry-over, or surplus of $508,000, in the general fund in 2022.
Lisbon's general fund carry-over or surplus has soared since 2020 when the village adopted cost-cutting measures in the face of the COVID pandemic, as well as an increase in the income tax rate. We have also realized savings through suggestions from our employees. Thanks to the above, the carry-over has risen more than eight-fold since 2019.
The proposed Christmas bonus, which would have perhaps totaled $5,900, would have been just a little over 1% -- I repeat, just a little over 1% -- of last year's carry-over or surplus in the general fund.
A Christmas bonus would have been a small token of appreciation for our employees' hard work during a very trying year.
Firemen went on their highest number of calls in 10 or more years in 2022. Some of our street department employees worked on the pool last summer for free during their weekends to ensure that it was ready. And, some of our cemetery staff worked on their own time to make sure the grounds were ready for Memorial Day.
The village's workers also lost 4 percent of their purchasing power last year as their 4 percent raise was far below the 8 percent inflation rate.
I previously worked as a manager, and I believe that employees who feel appreciated work harder, are more pro-active and are willing to go the extra mile. Yes, the village has lots of other needs but a small bonus would have been a good investment in our workforce and their retention.
Perhaps some councilmembers didn't receive Christmas bonuses last year, and that may have colored their thinking. Maybe some council members felt blindsided by my proposal even though all council members received the agenda four days before the meeting so they knew it was going to be discussed and they could have called me if they had questions. None did.
Whatever the case, the village's employees are my priority and I can assure you that I take the spending of public money very seriously. We had the money; the proposed bonus was not extravagant, and given inflation, not unreasonable.
Thank you.
Peter Wilson,
Lisbon Mayor