Elected Officials in Town of New Hartford Looking at Huge Potential Raises

Elected officials in the Town of New Hartford are looking at huge potential pay raises. The raise in pay rates may have you running for office the next time a seat opens up.

According to a document obtained by WIBX, the salary for Town of New Hartford Supervisor Paul Miscione in 2021 was $25,000 for the year. For Town Council members in 2021 their annual salary was $6,540. WIBX also obtained the "2022 Schedule of Salaries of Elected," which is Article 8 of the Town Law. According to that document, the raises proposed for Town Supervisor and Town Councilman in each of the four wards are anywhere between one hundred and three hundred percent.

According to the 2022 Schedule of Salaries, the Town Supervisor, still Paul Miscione, would increase from an annual salary of $25,000 to $50,000. For each of the four Town Council members that annual salary of $6,540 will move to $20,000. Those are the largest increases among the elected positions, but all of them will potentially see an increase. For example, the Town Clerk position will see an increase of a little less than $4,000 per year, the Highway Superintendent position will see an annual salary increase from $47,720 to $49,151 and the Town Justice will potentially see an increase in annual salary of only about $600.

The taxpayers and residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions about the proposed salary increases and other issues at a public meeting being held tonight at 6PM at the town courtroom in the Town Offices at the former Gander Mountain building. It is unclear if the vote on the salaries will be up to the public or the Town Board.