Notes obtained by Indy Politics confirm that members of the Pike Township Board are considering a pay raise that would nearly triple their salaries — while also requesting full-time employee benefits, including state pension eligibility, health, dental, and even gym memberships.

According to internal documents shared with the Indiana State Board of Accounts (SBOA), the proposal would boost board pay from roughly $7,791 per member to about $21,800 per year, calculated as three percent of the township trustee’s salary. Because Pike has five members, total annual payroll would jump from about $39,000 to more than $109,000, before counting benefits.

If approved, Pike’s board would leapfrog nearly every township in Marion County. For comparison, Wayne board members earn about $10,459, Center $10,300, and Washington $6,790. Only Wayne and Lawrence currently pay more — but neither offers full-time benefit packages.

The board — President Claudette Petersen, Demetrice Hicks, and Kenya Perkins — first discussed the raise and benefit plan during a late-September work session, according to notes reviewed by Indy Politics. That meeting included talk of tying salaries to the trustee’s pay, exploring PERF eligibility, and expanding health-insurance coverage to elected members.

Several City-County Council members familiar with the discussion told Indy Politics they were “not happy” when they learned of the proposal. One councilor called it “the definition of bad optics,” adding that township government “should be focused on transparency and service — not turning part-time positions into full-time perks.”

Under Indiana Code § 36-6-6-10, township boards may adjust their compensation only once per year through a properly advertised salary ordinance approved before November 3. The ordinance must then be submitted to SBOA and the Department of Local Government Finance by November 10.

In Marion County, the City-County Council must also approve any salary increases before they take effect, adding another step — and another political hurdle.

And even if the Pike Township Board and City-County Council both approve the raise, it would not go into effect until January 1, 2029, the next term of office following the 2026 township elections. Under Indiana law, township officials cannot increase their own pay during a current term; any adjustment must take effect in the following elected term.

Indiana law also limits such increases to amounts that are “reasonable for the duties performed.” Excessive or premature raises can be flagged in SBOA audits and, in some cases, ordered reversed.

Internal correspondence shows some Pike officials believed November 10 was the approval deadline, but the notes correct that misreading — stating SBOA “has made it clear to all Trustees” that approval must occur by November 3, with submission by November 10. The township says it has “shared all requests with SBOA and is awaiting guidance on PERF and benefits.”

The memo also confirms that the board’s October 21 meeting is advertised and cannot be changed, effectively locking in the calendar for a potential vote just days before the cutoff.

Adding to the controversy, questions have surfaced about whether the board exceeded its legal authority when it hired outside legal counsel in its ongoing dispute with the township trustee.
Under Indiana law, township boards have limited power to employ attorneys independently of the trustee, particularly in internal governance disputes. Any contracts executed without statutory authority could be challenged or deemed void.

Critics call the move tone-deaf in an era of rising costs. “You don’t give yourself a raise and a gym membership and then ask the State if it’s okay,” one township observer quipped. “You ask first.”

Supporters argue the board’s workload has grown with expanded budget and emergency-service oversight. Still, there’s no publicly released workload study or cost analysis to justify a 180-percent raise.

With the October 21 vote looming, the City-County Council already signaling skepticism, and legal questions piling up, Pike Township’s pay-hike proposal may face a hard landing long before it ever reaches the State Board of Accounts.

Editor’s Note:

Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, publisher of Indy Politics, is currently involved in separate litigation against the Pike Township Board .