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Eric Carles, Peru’s director of engineering and zoning, was approved for a pay raise on Monday, bringing his salary to $165,000 annually.
Mayor Ken Kolowski said Carles was approved for the raise because of the variety of work he does for the city, some of which is above and beyond his current job description.
“Eric does more than just engineering, he’s a big part of our economic development, he’s got his fingerprints on a lot of different things,” Kolowski said. “I know his title is director of engineering, but he wears a lot more hats than that.”
Carles said he has been a leader and a helpful figure in the Department of Power, Department of Public Works and Economic Development. He was a key figure in the completion of several projects that brought employment and revenue to Peru, including the GAF manufacturing plant.
“Given how my role in the city has changed over the past nine years and the opportunities available to me in the private sector, I wanted to have an open dialogue with the city,” Carles said. “Both the city council and the mayor felt that what I was doing for the city was valuable in my role and provided a compensation package they deemed fair.”
With the pay increase, Carles will become one of the highest paid city officials in the Illinois Valley. Ottawa engineer and public works director earns $150,000 with Scott Schweikert, corporate counselor of Peru. Streeter’s engineer Jeremy Palm makes $127,600 and La Salle’s engineer Brian Brown makes $115,000.
Despite having job opportunities elsewhere, Carles said he wants to stay in Peru because he enjoys his work in the city. He said pay raises are a way of seeking compensation for work that goes above and beyond their current job description, such as their role in economic development.
Carles was born and raised in the Illinois Valley and returned to Peru after spending a few years in consulting elsewhere. He said he returned because he wanted to make a difference in the community where he grew up and now wants to be a long-term employee of the city.
“Long term, I want to make an impact in the community and be a leader in the community, do good things in my hometown, raise my kids here, and make a difference.” Carles said.
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