Ordinance 14-17(A) Budget Amendment for Compensation for the Mayor and City Council

Summary

An Ordinance of the City Council of Homer, Alaska, Amending Homer City Code 2.08.040.m Regarding Compensation for the Mayor and Council, and Amending the FY 2014 Operating Budget by Appropriating $8,775.00 From the General Fund-Fund Balance for Mayor and Council Member Compensation. Burgess/Lewis/Roberts.

Ordinance/Resolution ID: 
14-17(A)
Ordinance/Resolution Status: 
Failed
Introduction Date: 
04/28/2014
File Attachments: 
Public Hearing Date: 
05/12/2014
Second Reading Date: 
05/12/2014

Related Meetings

Details

CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA

Burgess/Lewis/Roberts

ORDINANCE 14-17(A)

 

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, AMENDING HOMER CITY CODE 2.08.040.M REGARDING COMPENSATION FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND AMENDING THE FY 2014 OPERATING BUDGET BY APPROPRIATING $8,775.00 FROM THE GENERAL FUND - FUND BALANCE FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMPENSATION.

 

WHEREAS, The functioning of a vital, just, resilient and truly representative democracy requires that all citizens have equitable and economically viable avenues to participate in government and to hold elected office, if duly elected; and

 

WHEREAS, The median income of the current Mayor and Council Members probably is markedly higher than the median income of their constituents; and

 

WHEREAS, The office of Mayor or Council Member is not attainable or tenable for a person of limited or even moderate economic means without minimum levels of compensation; and

 

WHEREAS, The Laws of the State of Alaska and the United States of America require minimum levels of pay and compensation be paid for work or services performed; and

 

WHEREAS, Reasonable and thoughtful execution of the duties of the office of Mayor or Council Member requires at least 6 to 9 hours of work per meeting in the form of participating at City Council meetings, reading 250 to 600+ pages of City Council packets and other related documents on a monthly or per meeting basis, being available to the public and City staff to answer questions and listen to concerns, crafting legislation, reviewing legal briefs, serving from time to time as a member of the Board of Adjustment, and all of the other duties and obligations associated with the office of Mayor or Council Member; and

 

WHEREAS, Current levels of Mayor and Council Member compensation are 200% lower than levels 8 years ago, and those levels were reduced in a time of severe economic recession and dire budgetary constraints; and

 

WHEREAS, Compensation for the work performed by the Mayor and Council Members ideally should be correlated with measurable time and personal resources invested in executing the duties of office; and

 

WHEREAS, Socio-economic and political circumstances in which we live and govern demand a continually increasing amount of time, energy, professional knowledge, and expertise in order to effectively represent and safeguard the concerns and interests of the Citizens of Homer; and

 

WHEREAS, AS 29.20.620 authorizes the Council by ordinance to provide a method of determining the salaries of elected officials, provided that the stipend of the Mayor may not be reduced during the term of office of the Mayor.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF HOMER ORDAINS:

 

Section 1.  Homer City Code 2.08.040(m) is amended to read as follows:

 

m.          Salaries of Elected Officials.

The Council may fix by ordinance the salaries of elected officials. The Council members will receive a $50.00 nonwage stipend per month during their term of office as a reimbursement for expenses and the Mayor at $75.00 per month. The City shall not spend any funds for elected officials’ membership in the Public Employees Retirement System. An elected official may not receive any other compensation for service to the City municipality unless specifically authorized to do so by ordinance. Per diem payments or reimbursements for expenses are not compensation under this section.

2.           In lieu of receiving compensation under this subsection, the Mayor or a Council Member may direct the City Clerk in writing to distribute some or all of the person’s compensation to the General Fund or to The Homer Foundation or another nonprofit or charitable organization operating on the Southern Kenai Peninsula.

 

Section 2.  The compensation provided in Section 1 above applies to service as Mayor or Council Member commencing the first day of the first calendar month following the calendar month in which this ordinance is enacted, and as of that date replaces all forms of compensation previously payable for service as Mayor or Council Member, other than reimbursement for expenses incurred in performing official duties.

 

Section 3.  The FY 2014 Operating Budget is amended by appropriating $7,500 from the General Fund, Fund Balance for Mayor and Council Member compensation as described below:

 

Expenditure:

 

Account No.                                  Description                                                                                 Amount

 

100-0100                                         Mayor and Council Member Compensation                              $8,775.00

 

Section 4.  Section 1 of this Ordinance is of a permanent and general character and shall be included in the City Code.  Section 3 of this Ordinance is a budget amendment, is not permanent in nature, and shall not be codified.

 

ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOMER, ALASKA, this _____ day of May 2014.

 

CITY OF HOMER

 

______________________
MARY E. WYTHE, MAYOR

 

ATTEST:

____________________________

JO JOHNSON, MMC, CITY CLERK

 

 

AYES:

NOES:

ABSTAIN:

ABSENT:

 

 

First Reading:

Public Reading:

Second Reading:

Effective Date:

 

Reviewed and approved as to form:

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Walt Wrede, City Manager                                                                 Thomas F. Klinkner, City Attorney

 

Date: _________________________                                                            Date: _________________________