MIN 07-06-20 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

7. Communication from the Civil Service Commission regarding recommendation for Council Members & Mayor Salaries. (pg. 1) Motion by President O'Malley, seconded by Vice President Litten to refer to Committee of the Whole. Discussion: President O'Malley remarked that the citizens recently approved a new process whereby every four years the Civil Service Commission makes recommendations regarding the salaries for Council and the Mayor. He noted that the process was appropriate and an improvement over the previous situation in which Council salaries were not raised for 32 years. He questioned why the Civil Service Commission would recommend amending the process to create automatic increases while at the same time recommending no increase in Council salaries for the next term. He noted that while he was not planning to approve a salary increase that he found this to be a contradiction in the report. Assistant Law Director Swallow replied in her role as legal counsel to the Commission. She explained that the Commission was seeking a way to keep Council salaries competitive through an automatic process. President O'Malley remarked that he believes the City has an obligation to keep the Mayor's salary competitive in order to attract candidates and that an increase in important. The Committee and the Law Department clarified the process outlined in the Charter — Council has 90 days to accept or reject the recommendations. If no action is taken then the recommendations go into effect automatically. It was further clarified that the Commission's recommendations regarding the process will not go into effect, as an amendment to the Charter would be necessary. Councilmember Bullock remarked that he appreciates the new process but that examining elected official salaries during a pandemic is not his top priority but that it merits discussion, considering that the increase would not go into effect for several years. He asserted that Lakewood experiences no shortage of candidates for elected office and that pay doesn't appear to detract candidates. President O'Malley agreed that Council pay is on par with that of other Councils in the region. He pointed out that there has not been a contested race in ward 4 in 20 years. A roll call vote was conducted on the motion as follows: Yeas - Bullock, Kepple, Litten, Neff, O'Malley, Rader, Shachner Nays -none Motion passed. Communication referred to Committee of the Whole. 8. Communication from Councilmember Shachner regarding proposed beekeeping ordinance. (to be provided)