Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke has asked the City Council for a $31,000 per year pay increase to make her salary more in line with peer cities, which each pay higher wages.
Cooke makes an annual salary of $102,192. The request would raise the salary to $133,192. Cooke did not return several calls for comment about the proposed pay raise.
Everett pays its mayor $158,988 per year, Renton $134,400, Bellingham $132,792, Auburn $126,444 and Federal Way $112,800, according to 2013 figures compiled by the city of Kent mayor’s office. The amount of $133,192 would be the market average based on the mayor’s pay in those cities.
“The mayor has noted her salary is out of alignment with peer cities by about $31,000 per year,” Derek Matheson, city chief administrative officer, said at an Oct. 28 council budget workshop.
The mayor didn’t put the salary increase request in her preliminary budget for 2015-16. Matheson brought up the pay increase as part of an unfunded needs request during the mayor’s office budget report he gave to the council. Only the council can raise the mayor’s pay.
“I can’t deny the mayor’s salary is out of alignment with the peer cities,” Councilman Les Thomas said in response to the request. “However, the mayor running for reelection last November knew the salary going in and I just wondered what the thinking is.”
Matheson replied to the comment by Thomas.
“I believe she (Cooke) certainly was aware of the salary going in but believes it is appropriate to align that with peer cities just like we do with appointed city positions and employees,” Matheson said.
No other council members commented about the pay increase at the meeting. For Cooke to get the pay raise, at least four council members would need to approve an increase.
Voters elected Cooke last year to her third four-year term. She served her first term in 2006 and has said she has no plans to run again when her third term expires in 2017.
Kent voters elect the mayor to a full-time position. The voter-elected council positions are part-time and pay $13,752 per year. Matheson said it appears the council last raised the mayor’s salary in 2004.
Matheson said salary policy for city employees is based on pay by other cities. But that’s not the policy for the mayor’s salary, set by the council.
The city’s policy for employees states:
“Consideration will be given to prevailing rates paid for positions with similar duties and responsibilities either within or outside the city, as well as to the internal relationship of positions. By adhering to a salary system that is internally equitable, externally competitive, and easily understood, the city strives to attract and retain qualified personnel.”
The policy also states:
“Periodically, it may be appropriate for the salary of established position classifications to be reviewed to ensure competitiveness and marketability of Kent’s positions and to ensure the positions meet the prevailing wage rate for similar positions in the market.”
The mayor hires and fires department heads as well as the city’s chief administrative officer (CAO). She recently hired Matheson as CAO at an annual salary of $167,000 and Finance Director Aaron BeMiller at $110,000 per year.
Bellevue, Kirkland and Vancouver use city manager systems rather than a full-time mayor as their mayors are chosen by the city council. City managers are paid $237,471 in Bellevue, $182,808 in Kirkland and $169,660 in Vancouver, according to the city of Kent study. A council hires a city manager to oversee city operations.
What mayors make
(annual salaries)
• Everett: $158,988
• Renton: $134,400
• Bellingham: $132,792
• Auburn: $126,444
• Federal Way: $112,800
• Kent: $102,192
• Proposed Kent salary: $133,192
Note: 2013 salaries
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