While going over the 2019-20 budget for Addison Township on Jan. 14, the board of trustees voted to give themselves a slight pay bump for the next year in a unanimous 7-0 vote. The board members also got a 4 percent pay increase in 2018.

All township trustees as well as the treasurer, clerk and supervisor will receive a 5 percent increase in pay. For trustees Joel King, Linda Gierak, Jacob Newby and Erich Senft, they will begin to earn $145.51 per regular meeting along with the potential of earning $110.25 for special sessions, $195.51 for combined sessions and $84 for attendance to appointed meetings such as the zoning board of appeals and planning commission.

Township Supervisor Bruce Pearson, Clerk Pauline Bennett and Treasurer Lori Fisher will all receive yearly base salaries of $38,487.80 for their positions, which are considered part-time.

Pearson stressed at the meeting that he and his colleagues are not just trying to put more money in their own pockets.

“I’ve proposed a 5 percent wage increase,” Pearson said. “After you consider the cost of living is up 2.8 percent and if you see the statistics on U.S. wages right now, they’re at 3.8 percent. During the recession, we didn’t get any raises, we held tight on all of the wages. I appreciated it then, and I certainly do appreciate it now. I think it’s a good increase at 5 percent for all the employees.”

The resolution to increase officials’ pay will take effect on April 1.