Even though City Manager Judy Gilleland formally declined to take the 3 percent bonus council offered, the offer is still on the table.

Council approved by a 6-1 vote the annual pay and benefits ordinance early last week. The legislation retained the clause that allows the city manager to be eligible to receive 3 percent of his or her base pay after five years of service. All other employees must wait until their 10th anniversary before they can receive the pay. Gilleland would be eligible to receive an annual lump sum payment of, $3,750 — or 3 percent of her $125,000 base salary — in January.

Mayor Larry Mulligan could not be reached for comment late last week but said on Nov. 16 the longevity pay offer “recognizes the importance of the position and the challenges of the position.” He also said it’s rare for a city manager to achieve city’s established longevity pay thresholds.

Councilman A.J. Smith was the lone dissenting vote on the pay and benefits ordinance. However, he said his “no” vote was supporting Gilleland’s decision.

“I was supporting her and her efforts by choosing to live by the same standards of her employees,” said Smith. “I think the labor (unions) did the right thing, and I think the city manager did the right thing.”

The unions was a joint letter sent to The Journal on Nov. 16, signed by the representatives of seven of the city’s eight unions, strongly opposing the city manager taking the deal offered by Middletown City Council.

Those unions represent approximately two-thirds of the city’s 350 employees. The leaders of the police, fire, public works, transit, corrections and dispatchers unions said in the letter that the perk is unacceptable when the “working-class” employees they represent haven’t seen a pay raise in years.

The next day, only after learning of the union’s letter from The Journal, Gilleland issued a statement indicating she would not accept the annual benefit this January. She said she will “stand by my employees and decline the benefit,” and the offer shows the confidence City Council has in her as the city manager.

For years the city has paid its employees longevity pay, which is an annual allotment of a percentage of their base salary. Employees become eligible for 1 percent of their base salary after 10 years of service. The annual bonus increases to 2 percent after 15 years and 3 percent after 20 years of service.

Longevity pay is a common practice amount local governments, though some in other Ohio communities and nearby states have either discussed or voted to reduce or eliminate the perk.

The ordinance also increased the city manager’s vacation days from 22 to 27 days a year. She did not decline those extra days off.

Gilleland could not be reached for comment.

Law Director Les Landen said the city has started to offer some perks to the unions to show goodwill, including allowing vacation and sick time to be cashed in early. The contracts for the two police unions, which were recently accepted by both sides, offer a one-time $600 signing bonus for each member. A similar deal was made with the transit union, he said.