By ANDY GARDNER
North Country Now

MASSENA -- A town councilor is proposing the town supervisor's salary increase by $3,500 in the 2019 budget.

At the Wednesday Town Council meeting, Councilor Sam Carbone offered the argument that the supervisor's salary has not increased along with inflation and the supervisor does more than 40 hours of work per week for part-time pay. He said this is his idea, and not Town Supervisor Steve O'Shaughnessy's.

"I think a raise is in order for the supervisor. Steve didn't come to me with this," Carbone said. He said factored for inflation since the supervisor's last pay raise two decades ago, the supervisor should make $21,500. He now makes $15,500.

"I'd like to see it at $20,000 and add a 2 percent raise across the board. Rather than waiting 10 years and make a big jump like that, make it across the board to match the inflationary rate," Carbone said.

Carbone also pointed to neighboring towns, none of which he mentioned by name, but claimed their supervisors are paid between $10,000 and $15,000 annually and they have oversight over fewer services than in Massena.

"They have a highway department, maybe a fire department not what we have ... hospital, library, recreation," Carbone said.

O'Shaughnessy said little about the raise suggestion.

"I think I'm going to stay quiet about that," he said. "I've said since day one I'm not doing this for the money."

Although he didn't come right out and oppose the proposition, Councilor Albert Nicola suggested the board's salaries should be in proportion with local economic conditions.

"I think the amount of the raise ... should be commensurate with the economic climate of the town," Nicola said.

He said the old mentality on the board was "that there was a tax increase, the board should get no raise. However, I'm not sure that stands the test of time right now." He said that's because with annual increases that are unavoidable, such as road sand and salt, no tax increase is difficult.

"These are part-time jobs with part-time salaries. You can put as much time as you want, or as little."

"You put in too little time the voters will decide every four years," Carbone said.

Nicola suggested the handle the idea at a future budget work session.

"I think when you do this is when you do salaries, my opinion," he said. The board took no action.