INDIANAPOLIS -- The Wayne Township Board voted Thursday evening to freeze raises and benefits in the wake of calls and e-mails from people opposed to increases.

The board's decision came with no discussion, 6News' Joanna Massee reported. At $8,000, board members' base salary is more than any other township board in Marion County.

As layoffs and cutbacks permeate state and local government entities, Wayne Township considered raises and new health and retirement benefits for its board.

A raise would have increased the pay of board members, who work part-time, by $500, and benefits for all board members would have cost taxpayers more than $130,000 annually.

Before the meeting, Wayne Township Trustee David Baird gave conflicting information about whether a vote was pending.

When asked if a vote was scheduled on health and retirement benefits, Baird said, "Yes, they will have to. Due to our laws, everything has to be done by the 31st of December."

At first, Baird said board members had simply inquired about the employee benefits package, but then confirmed there would be a vote and that there had been communication to citizens that a vote was pending.

"If they've been anywhere in Wayne Township, it is there," Baird said. "I don't know if the whole benefit thing is; I've really not been part of it."

By the end of the interview, Baird insisted that no vote on benefits would take place.

"There is no vote for benefits, as such. What it is, it is the board -- the board is going to take a vote on what they want," he said. "It may not come up."

Baird said that he wasn't in favor of the board receiving benefits.

"In these times? No," he said

6News attempted to set up interviews with all board members before the meeting. Lisa Bentley was the only one who agreed. She is against benefits and pay raises and said she believed it would be voted on.

"I will be encouraging my board members to vote no, and I have asked citizens to come to the meeting tonight to express their concern about taking such an action, especially at a time like this when so many of our citizens are struggling," she said.

Most township board members in Marion County don't receive benefits, but those in Warren and Perry Township do have retirement benefits. Perry Township board members also currently get health benefits, but will lose them in 2010.

The cost of health benefits per board member in Wayne Township would be about $19,000, more than double their part-time salary.

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