BELLAIRE — Employees from the water treatment department visited Bellaire Village Council on Monday evening to seek a pay raise after achieving new certifications.

Operators Ben Turvey and John Flanagan and Superintendent Gary Zabatsky attended the meeting after they sent a letter to council addressing the issue of pay raises. Turvey said he sent the letter because village worker Zach Warner received a $6 pay raise but they did not receive a raise for their class licenses as a water treatment operator at the department.

Councilwoman Janet Richardson told him the reason for the $6 raise is because Warner is taking on additional duties until the distribution coordinator position is filled. His pay raise is only for his interim period and will not remain permanent.

Turvey still wished to receive a raise from his $20 an hour due to his new Class III certification to be an operator that he obtained Nov. 25. Although the employees received a $2 raise during 2024, Turvey asked for another raise to $22 an hour because of his new certification. Flanagan received a $1 raise after receiving his Class I certification.

According to Zabatsky, most communities give each certification a raise of $1 for Class I, $2 for Class II and $3 for Class III.

Turvey told council he felt disrespected by the council members, claiming they didn’t appreciate what he did, which is why he didn’t get his Class III certification sooner. Turvey has been in the field for 40 years.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Dugmore told Turvey that the village simply does not have the money for pay raises right now.

Typically a Class I operator is a position with less experience and responsibility than Class II and Class III. Class III is the highest certification one can receive as an operator and will take on more responsibilities. The village only requires one class three operator, and it currently has two, according to Richardson. She added that the village is not really in need of a Class III operator right now, asking what value was being brought to the village.

Zabatsky told Richardson there is value in continuing education to get different licenses and that benefits the village by having a backup operator when needed.

Richardson said there is an ordinance that can help tackle this issue that addresses pay raises for licenses. Richardson invited the employees to the next Finance and Personnel Committee meeting at 10 a.m. Jan 7. to take a look at the ordinance and finances to see what the village can do.

Council hopes for village meter reader Warner to keep taking the steps to become certified to be the distribution coordinator. Richardson said it’s important for Warner to keep studying and aiming for June because the position brings a lot of value to the village.

Although Warner is not certified for the position yet, Mayor Edward Marling informed council that because he is studying and on his path toward the date he is able to take on the duties of the distribution coordinator.

Meanwhile, Councilman Robert “Bubba” Kapral, Dugmore, Councilman Mike Doyle, Councilman Jerry Olack, Richardson and Councilman Bill Schmitt passed two ordinances at the meeting.

Ordinance 2024-12 established final appropriations for Fiscal Year 2024 and declared an emergency. The second as ordinance, 2024-13, established temporary appropriations for the Fiscal 2025 and declared an emergency. Declaring an emergency allows council to suspend the rules requiring three public readings of proposed legislation.

Council congratulated Police Chief J.J. Watson on his first “Cram the Cruiser,” where people donated toys for children for Christmas. Watson said the department serviced 30 families in Bellaire and out of those 30 families, 52 children were involved.

“I just want to thank everyone who donated to the cause with toys or the monetary. I want to thank everyone who volunteered your time to come down and help us out and everything, thank the school for letting us use the parking lot down there, and thank my officers for being there in the system,” Watson said. “But we did really, really well. We exceeded my expectations, and we’re really looking forward to year number two.”