Ordinance 15-01(A) City Code Amendment Regarding Compensation for Mayor and 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. City Council.

Ordinance/Resolution ID: 
15-01(A)
Ordinance/Resolution Status: 
Adopted
Introduction Date: 
01/12/2015
Effective Date: 
02/10/2015
File Attachments: 
Public Hearing Date: 
01/26/2015
Second Reading Date: 
01/26/2015

Related Meetings

Details

CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA

City Council

ORDINANCE 15-01(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.

 

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 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 unless specifically authorized to do so by ordinance. Per diem payments or reimbursements for expenses are not compensation under this section.

 

               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, March 1, 2015, 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.   Section 1 of this Ordinance is of a permanent and general character and shall be included in the City Code. 

 

ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOMER, ALASKA, this 9th day of February, 2015.

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:

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Marvin Yoder, City Manager                                                               Thomas F. Klinkner, City Attorney

 

Date: _________________________                                              Date: _______________________