The city is now accepting applications from Third District residents interested in replacing Alderman Jim Shelenske, who will take over as city clerk on May 1.
Shelenske told me today that he submitted his resignation on Thursday, and the City Council will surely accept it at its next meeting on Tuesday. His seat will officially be vacant starting April 30.
The council will interview candidates at a special May 17 meeting and likely vote that night on a replacement for Shelenske. That person will then serve out the remainder of Shelenske’s term until the April 2011 elections.
Read more in the press release here. And click here for the application if you’re interested in applying.
And speaking of city clerk, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an interesting story about cost savings that the city will realize because Shelenske was elected last month. South Milwaukee pays its full-time elected officials in a range based on experience, so a newly elected official like Shelenske receives a smaller paycheck than than a three-term clerk like Kathleen Lisowski. That equates to about an $11,000 savings per year.
From the story …
Having been clerk for six years, Lisowski’s salary was $67,626. But, by virtue of being new to the job, Shelenske, who has held the part-time position of alderman for four years, will be paid at the bottom of the clerk’s scale, $56,368.
City Administrator Tami Mayzik said Friday that Oak Creek has a similar system, but she didn’t know whether other municipalities pay their full-time elected officials based on their time in the job. She said the view in South Milwaukee is that a person becomes more productive the more time they have in the job.
If a person stays clerk long enough, he or she could earn $72,462 per year, based on the current salary ordinance.
South Milwaukee Blog 
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This is a good incentive to elect a new clerk each election. BTW…$56000 plus a year is too much to pay the city clerk. I don’t think the starting pay for most cops is that high…and they risk their lives for their communities. Now I’m wondering what kind of benefits does the city clerk get and how much does it cost us?