HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 20 Council Stipend MemoMAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
DATE: 7/02/2013
REGULAR
ITEM #: 20
RESOLUTION 2013-55
AGENDA ITEM: Council Workshop Stipend
SUBMITTED BY: Adam Bell, City Clerk
THROUGH: Dean A. Zuleger, City Administrator
REVIEWED BY: Beckie Gumatz, Program Assistant
SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS
- Introduction of Item ........................................................................................ Staff - Report/Presentation ......................................................................................... Staff - Questions from Council to Staff ................................................ Mayor Facilitates
- Public Input, if Appropriate ....................................................... Mayor Facilitates
- Call for Motion .................................................................. Mayor & City Council - Discussion .......................................................................... Mayor & City Council - Action on Motion ....................................................................... Mayor Facilitates
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The City Council is respectfully requested to consider granting an additional monetary stipend
for council members attending council workshops and for planning commissioners attending
planning commission meetings. If Council chooses to grant this stipend, it is recommended to
make the following motion:
“Move to approve Resolution 2013-55, granting additional stipend of $100.00 dollars per
meeting for Council Members’ attendance at a workshop or special meeting in excess of the
meetings required by the Lake Elmo City Code; and approving a stipend of $40.00 dollars per
meeting for Planning Commissioners attendance at Planning Commission meetings.”
BACKGROUND:
Council Members Smith and Park have requested that the City Council consider granting council
members an additional monetary stipend for attendance at council workshops and special
meetings in excess of the regular city council meetings prescribed by city code. Currently, city
code § 31.01(A) requires two regular meetings per month, specifically on the first and third
Tuesday. There is no required number of special or emergency meetings or workshops. The
code only prescribes the procedure for holding those additional types of meetings.
City code § 31.08 governs council salaries. Staff deems the payment of a stipend as outside the
definition of a salary and therefore not subject to the requirements of § 31.08. The most recent
Council action on Council salaries took place on July 3, 2012. The 4-1 vote, with then Council
Member Pearson voting in opposition, granted a raise to the Mayor and Council, effective
January 1, 2013.
During her May 21st Council report, Council Member Smith suggested that the Council look at
an additional stipend for workshop attendance due to the high number of extra meetings the
Council is currently holding. Ms. Smith stated that the increasing number of meetings is
becoming more demanding, especially for members with families.
In addition, Council Member Smith suggested that the Council look at approving stipends for
Planning Commissioners’ attendance at Planning Commission meetings. Commissioners are
currently not compensated for meeting attendance or service in general. Staff research has found
that almost all municipal boards and commissions in the state are unpaid volunteer positions.
However, there is much discussion statewide among cities about the prevalent difficulty in
recruiting commissioners and whether paying commissioners would aide in that challenge.
Staff research has not been able to find instances of City Councils granting additional monetary
stipends to members for work shops or special meetings in excess of the regular meeting pay.
Staff has found instances where some council members are paid per meeting regardless of what
type of meeting is held instead of a set annual salary. If the council were to desire to move to
this format, it would require amending the ordinance governing salaries. Also, this change
would not take effect until January 1, 2015, following the next regular city election scheduled for
November 4, 2014.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council is respectfully requested to consider granting an additional monetary stipend
for council members attending council workshops and for planning commissioners attending
planning commission meetings. If Council chooses to grant this stipend, it is recommended to
make the following motion:
“Move to approve Resolution 2013-55, granting additional stipend of $100.00 dollars per
meeting for Council Members’ attendance at a workshop or special meeting in excess of the
meetings required by the Lake Elmo City Code; and approving a stipend of $40.00 dollars per
meeting for Planning Commissioners attendance at Planning Commission meetings.”
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution 2013-55