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– They must save in the municipality. In addition, they have announced a salary settlement that is almost nil for the rest of the tenants of the municipality. And then they come up with this, right before the budget is processed. So it’s full fire, that is, says Folkebladet editor Steinulf Henriksen.
In the new great municipality of Senja, it is boiling. The mind is on the city council and councilor Hogne Eidissen.
Because in January of this year, Berg, Lenvik, Torsken and Tranøy became the great municipality of Senja.
During the merger work, a letter of intent was prepared. It stated, among other things, that none of the municipal employees would lose their jobs as a result of the merger.
That does not seem to be the case.
The municipality of Senja is forced to cut 90 million crowns a year in the coming years.
– When our salary costs represent 70 percent of total costs, it is clear that this is where it is easiest to cut, says Mayor Tom-Rune Eliseussen.
– We can act in all sectors, but the health sector has perhaps the greatest potential.
This is happening at the same time that the politicians in the municipality keep their salaries and most of their allowances, and Councilor Hogne Eidissen receives a weekly salary of NOK 100,000. In addition, you receive a travel supplement of NOK 50,000.
It makes the population of the large municipality react. Among other things on the Folkebladet Facebook page.
– I don’t think I’ve experienced such a massive backlash in my 24 years as Folkebladet editor. It comes with messages. Many of them are simply too harsh to press. Usually we have people defending decisions, but we don’t see it now, says Steinulf Henriksen.
THEY COME FROM MANY: Steinulf Henriksen is surprised that the reactions in this case did not come from those who usually protest, say from an unusually large group of people.
Photo: Arild Moe / NRK
Many elements
Herbjørg Valvåg is a member of the SV municipal council. She herself participated in the pay week vote. If he had known what the reactions would be, he thinks he would have voted differently.
– An afterthought can be easy to come up with. We can’t do anything about it now. But maybe the amount should be half, that is, 50,000.
Steinulf Henriksen does not believe that the director’s salary increase is the reason for the reactions.
– You have to bring the whole story. It is a controversial merger. Tranøy and Berg clearly said no. And in God there was pure compulsion. The letter of intent they made turns out not to be worth the paper it is written on, he says.
– Ein has too many employees. Now it needs to be cut and put away where possible, and they are doing that job. Then comes this with the salary of the councilor, who already has a good salary. It’s about timing, credibility, and trust, he continues.
Understand that people respond
Councilor Hogne Eidissen understands that people react the way they do, but believes that more people are crossing the line.
– It’s not nice. I’d be lying if I said it’s easy to stand, he says.
Eidissen believes that people would have reacted differently if they had known the whole story. You haven’t had a pay week since 2017.
– I didn’t want that. First he wanted to solve the municipal merger in port. Also, we’ve had a turbulent 2020, so the fact that I now have a pay week is a response to the municipality being satisfied with the work I’ve done, Eidissen says.
Senja Township Mayor Tom-Rune Eliseussen also believes that the councilman’s salary week is within.
– The councilor has the right to have his salary evaluated, on an equal footing with the rest of the municipality’s employees. He has not had his salary regulated for the last three years. The salary he has now received is completely in line with what councilors earn in other municipalities the size of Senja, and in line with salary growth in other parts of society, Eliseussen says.
But it also receives criticism.
STANDS UP: – It’s not a shame for me, I stand firm. But some storms are a bit stronger than others, says Senja councilor Hogne Eidissen.
Photo: Linda Pedersen / NRK
Should be less
The mayor earns 1,145,000 crowns a year. This makes him the highest paid mayor in Northern Norway. So far, none of the municipal politicians has said that they are willing to reduce their salaries or allowances.
Except for a moment.
– In fact, we have decided to reduce the allocation of meetings for representatives in the city council, says Mayor Tom-Rine Eliseussen.
– How much is it?
– In total, there is talk of 250,000 crowns every quarter. In addition, we have asked the councilor to analyze the possibilities of reducing the number of representatives in the municipal councils.
Today there are 45 representatives in the Senja town hall. For the sake of order, this means that Senja city council representatives give away approximately NOK 5,500 in annual meeting allowances.
Today’s discussion adds to a number of other issues related to the economy in the Senja municipality over the past year. Among other things, the case that former mayor Geir Inge Sivertsen received 120,000 crowns in severance pay from the municipality when he became Minister of Fisheries. Money Sivertsen then returned the money.
NEEDED: – Now that we are on the right track with the new township, we must make changes, says Mayor Tom-Rune Eliseussen.
Photo: Linda Pedersen / NRK
Bad signal
Herbjørg Valvåg in SV believes that last year’s cases send a bad signal to the population.
– It’s about who is loved as a politician and governs for himself. The economy of the municipality of Senja is characterized by decisions made by politicians in the four municipalities in the past, by decisions made by politicians in the year of existence of the municipality of Senja, and the economy given to us by the government and the Storting politicians. Here we must get involved in mobilizing to create the best possible decisions to enter the difficult situation in which we find ourselves.
Steinulf Henriksen also believes that Senja is struggling with her reputation.
– The municipality will take several years to acquire a good reputation. They have to focus on children and develop schools. Support vulnerable groups. Then they must have fewer tenants and freeze the salaries of tenants in the municipality for a long time, he says.
