Coos Bay City Manager receives raise

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Story Published: Jun 17, 2009 at 5:43 PM PDT

By Erica Rush

COOS BAY, Ore. -A harsh economy makes it difficult for the Coos Bay City Council to reward their City Manager for his hard work but at Tuesday nights council meeting, they found a little fore site helped to ease their minds.

Since taking the position of City Manager in April of 2007, Freeman has received positive evaluation reviews, as well as step increases, currently making more than $111,000 a year.

Now at a step-level three on their applicable salary schedule, it was up to the council members to decide to raise Freeman's step, or leave him as is.

Mayor Jeff McKeown was hesitant to grant him his latest raise, claiming a difficult economic environment. and adding that all employees should be treated equally.

That's when Freeman responded that in fact, he had already budgeted for step plus cost of living increases.

McKeown said, "I think upon reflection I'm going to change a bit, i think we should do the step increase."

And despite a few more comments in opposition by council members, in the end, they unanimously approved Freeman's wage increase by a step, to roughly $116,500 a year, effective as of July 1.

This five-percent increase coincides with another five-percent cost of living increase granted to all salary employees of the city.

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