AURORA | City Council members could see a pay increase without having to go to voters for approval by paying themselves for attending some city meetings.
A measure that would provide council members with a stipend of $100 per policy committee meeting they attend and an additional $100 for meetings council members and the mayor attend as city representatives received narrow initial approval from city council Monday night.
Before casting the final votes, council members Bob LeGare and Molly Markert remarked that it was the wrong way to ask for a raise.
“We had a discussion (about) going to voters to raise the salary of city council. That idea was nixed,” LeGare said. “We’re going to start paying ourselves for going to meetings that we agreed to do as council members. I’m not comfortable having a raise in that manner.”
Markert agreed that the move was an end-run.
“At what point do we stop extending to our hours with a stipend of some sort?” Markert asked.
The measure passed 6-5, with council members Debi Hunter-Holen, Markert, Bob Broom, Renie Peterson and LeGare voting no.
The annual cost for the policy committee stipend would be $21,600, according to city documents. The stipend cost for other meetings would depend upon the number of eligible meetings per year. City Finance Director Jason Batchelor said for two qualifying meetings per month per council member, the cost would be $26,400 per year.
According to city documents, council members will approve the list of meetings that are not part of a policy committee that can qualify for the stipend. Batchelor said that list has not been finalized, but that one would be provided before the measure is finalized.
Under the measure, council members can’t receive the stipend if they already receive money from an organization for attending. They also can’t receive the stipend for meetings that are open to the mayor or any council member, such as the National League of Cities or the Colorado Municipal League.
Council decided they would not ask voters in November to increase council pay from around $13,000 a year to $40,000 a year, and the mayor’s pay from $56,000 a year to $80,000 a year. On top of their salary, city council members receive $760 monthly for a car allowance and $225 monthly for tech-related expenses such as cell phones and iPads. In addition, city lawmakers can qualify for life-long pensions, depending on their length of service.
Interim City Attorney Mike Hyman said council does not have to go to voters for stipend increases as they do not constitute a salary under the city charter. Any changes to council salary must be approved by voters, Hyman said.
City council members are paid for 100 hours per month as part-time employees, though most say they work more for a city that has grown to be the third largest in Colorado.
The mayor’s position is full-time. Out of Aurora’s 10 council members, six hold another job. Sally Mounier and Renie Peterson do not have other jobs. Bob Broom and Marsha Berzins are retired.
Make note of the council members who vote to give themselves a raise by recatagorizing an increase in pay under the title of “stipend”.
Before you ran for the seat, you knew meetings were a part of the deal.
Don’t they also get an allowance for health insurance also?
If the council members feel they deserve a raise, do it the right way, and ask for a vote of the citizens.
No, why should they? What are any of us really going to do about it besides complain?
they also get car and phone allowances, an awful lot for “part time”
If I’m remembering right, should they pass before their spouse, the spouse continues to get the pension too.
What part time job provides that?