The Peoria City Council voted to give City Manager Patrick Urich a $10,000 pay raise. The vote followed discussion about the city police union:
Urich's pay bump would put his base salary at about $200,000. The raise passed nine to two. City councilman Chuck Grayeb voted against the measure, saying that Urich shouldn't get a raise when the City Police Union members haven't gotten pay raises from arbitration sessions earlier this year:
“It is strictly business. I feel our manager is doing a good job overall, but I think this council has a long way to go in terms of its progress and its relationship with its employees and the bargaining units.”
The police union has been working without a contract for nearly two years. Some Councilmembers supporting Urich's pay raise say the two issues are separate, and arbitration sessions will continue this fall. Urich did not respond to a request for comment.