A five-member Independent Salary Commission will decide later this year whether the Kent mayor and seven City Council members should get pay raises, pay cuts or keep the same pay.
The council approved the formation of the salary commission on Tuesday night. The mayor will appoint the five board members who must be confirmed by the council.
“This item came out of the council retreat,” said City Attorney Tom Brubaker, who presented the proposal to the council’s Operations Committee on Tuesday. “Neither the council or the mayor has had a salary increase for well over 10 years.”
Mayor Suzette Cooke makes $102,192 per year as a full-time mayor. The part-time council members are paid $13,752 per year. The council president, a two-year term, gets $14,496 a year.
Cooke suggested last fall during her preliminary budget report to the council a mayor’s pay raise to $133,192 to put the salary more in line with peer cities such as Everett ($158,198), Renton ($134,400), Bellingham ($132,792), Auburn ($126,444) and Federal Way ($112,800), according to 2013 figures compiled by the city.
The council, which has had the power to raise pay for its members and the mayor, didn’t take any action on Cooke’s proposal.
The commission will review what other cities are paying elected officials with assistance from the city human resources staff.
“If they choose to increase, it will take effect as soon as they file with the city clerk,” Brubaker said. “If they choose to decrease, it won’t take effect until the elected official’s term expires as set by the state constitution.”
The five board members will include one person from the faith community, one from the business community, one with human resources expertise and two at-large commissioners.
“I think this is certainly something that needs to be looked at, not necessarily because it’s something that I need or want,” Councilman Jim Berrios said at the Operations Committee meeting. “But if we look at the fact that it’s been sometime and we also have five (council) positions that are up for election (this year). So time-wise I think it’s a good opportunity to take a look at it.”
Numerous cities determine salary increases through citizen commissions. Kent used to have a salary commission under Mayor Jim White until it disbanded about a dozen years ago.
“It got to be controversial,” said Brubaker in an interview. “Everyone gets mad at a salary increase for elected officials. The three-person commission raised salaries because they were out of whack with what other cities paid. The clamor never died down and the complaints came in. Mayor White recommended it and the council disbanded it. The salaries have been frozen ever since.”
The new ordinance to form the commission goes into effect in 30 days. The mayor and council will soon pick the committee members, who are expected to meet at least twice before July 1 and come up with salary figures.
The commission could decide to adjust salaries and benefits and include a fixed annual salary inflation factor. If the board goes that route, the council will take steps to disband it but keep the salary schedule established by the commission.
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