BUCYRUS — An ordinance that includes a substantial raise for the city’s service-safety director was kept to a first reading Tuesday evening after four Bucyrus City Council members voted against suspending the rules and voting on the issues as an emergency.

Council members Dan Wirebaugh, Kevin Myers, Bruce Truka and Doug Foght voted against the ordinance being considered as an emergency.

“I want more time before the final vote to hear from residents and what they think about the issue,” Myers said.

The ordinance for supervisor manpower includes a raise the annual income of Service-Safety Director Jeff Wagner from $68,057.65 per year to $71,000, retroactive to Jan. 1. The raise was requested by Mayor Jeff Reser during the last finance committee meeting who stated that Wagner wears many hats and has reached the top end of the income for the position.

Council discusses city officials’ salaries

The council did pass an ordinance that will increase in the auditor’s pay to $54,000 during the next four years, beginning in January 2020, along with one-percent raises for future council members and the city law director.

A street renewal levy of .5 percent will be on the ballot on May 7 after council passed an ordinance to allow it along with a resolution for the Crawford County Board of Elections.

Reser has said that the renewal levy is needed for the maintenance and paving of city streets.

Bucyrus resident and owner of Wavelinc Communications Kurt Fankhauser submitted a letter and three years of his AEP electric bills that he says shows the city’s aggregation rate is higher than the normal rate for customers.

“I hope you are able to see by this information that I am not making false claims,” Fankhauser said.

He then asked his original question of the council: “Why is the city trying to sign me up for a rate that is higher than if not in the aggregation plan?”

Council president Sis Love said the letter and the attached information is accepted by council and will be on file.

Committee meetings are Thursday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. and the next council meeting is Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.