The Lake Don Pedro Community Services District Board found themselves between a rock and a hard place November 2 when faced with a decision of whether or not to grant employees raises.

On the one hand, a roomful of angry ratepayers objected, because the district is already so financially strapped it is taking legal steps to raise everyone’s water rates.

On the other hand, they were told that the employees, some of whom have not had raises in several years, might “walk” if the vote didn’t pass.

After lengthy discussions and even some tearful pleas, they approved the raises 4-0, with board member Emery Ross absent.

During the discussion before the vote, numerous local residents, including Ruth Smith, voiced their objections to the move.

“At all the meetings I’ve been coming to, we’ve been told how broke the district is, and that if something doesn’t happen you’re going to have to file bankruptcy. Then, as soon as you decide to raise rates, you want to give everyone a raise and hire … new people. I want to know where all this money is coming from to do all this all of a sudden.”

Vicki Keefe said it was “mind boggling” that the board would make such a move at this time. “In this economic climate, no one is getting raises. Companies are freezing wages and reducing hours,” she said.

Clem Brown cautioned the board against giving the raises before the community votes on the rate increase. “It seems you’re counting your chickens before they hatch, but if the chickens don’t hatch, what are we going to eat?”

The board first voted to approve a promotion and 10 percent salary increase, to $55,000 per year, for financial manager Charise Reeves. Along with the raise, Reeves is taking on the jobs of financial officer, treasurer, secretary to the board and personnel administrator.

When she was hired, Reeves said she was promised a job review and salary increase after six months, but more than a year passed with no action on that. Board members said Reeves has done “an exceptional job,” and has saved the district tens of thousands of dollars by helping find places in the budget to save money.

But when, under pressure from those in the audience, the board discussed delaying three-percent raises for four other employees, Reeves tearfully begged them not to wait. She said they would, in effect, be putting “a target on my back.”

“You guys are setting me up for the biggest fight I’ve had here,” she said.

Board President Wes Barton said if the raises didn’t go through, “these guys are going to walk, and I don’t blame them.”

Barton justified the increase, explaining that the district had cut about $50,000 in employee expenses from the budget, so they felt justified in adding back $10,000 in raises and $10,000 to hire a $10-an-hour meter reader.

But several in the audience still objected because the overall budget shows a deficit.

Phyllis Cotta responded that the $30,000 in savings that Barton referred to “was $30,000 you didn’t have in the first place.” She added, “It’s like you’re playing with Monopoly money.”

Many of the protesters acknowledged that the employees deserve the raises. However, they questioned the timing of the move.

Bob Sykes told them, “I’m going to go out on a limb and agree with you giving the raises. But boy, your timing was lousy!”