Mayor position still on the chopping block

Jan. 24, 2007

SHARON G. McBRIDE

Frontiersman

PALMER - The mayor's full-time position still is on shaky ground, despite the concerned citizens who showed up for the Palmer City Council meeting Tuesday to speak against two proposed ordinances that would reduce the mayor's position to part-time.

Ordinances 07-004 and 07-005 call for a reduction in the mayor's salary, removal of health benefits and a reduction in compensated work hours.

After deliberating for more than 30 minutes, with numerous amendments failing on 3-1 votes, the council unanimously decided to introduce ordinance 07-004 and set a public hearing date at the Feb. 13 council meeting.

Council member Tony Pippel cast the no votes, and the mayor did not vote because of the conflict of interest. It takes four votes - a majority of the council's seven members - to pass any ordinance. Council members Brad Hanson and Jim Wood were absent Tuesday.

Ordinance 07-004 would adjust the mayor's pay to $20,000 per year -about half what it is now - cut back his compensated work hours to 800 per year and remove health benefits.

Ordinance 07-005, which would have reduced the mayor's pay to $25, 000 per year for 1,000 hours, with no health benefits, was postponed indefinitely, which essentially kills the measure.

City hall was packed with people who expressed concern, and all who spoke were in favor of keeping a full-time mayor.

Dusty Silva, with the Palmer Chamber of Commerce, was on hand to give the chamber's reaction to the two proposed ordinances.

&#8220We urge the council to continue to invest in a full-time mayor,” she said in a prepared chamber statement.

It will end up costing the city more in the long run, she said. A full-time mayor guarantees more revenue for the city and stability for the future.

Last week, council members Pippel and Ken Erbey said the ordinances were drafted in hopes of saving the city some money. They cited some &#8220painful” unplanned cuts to the city's budget after learning of the city's $10 million deficit through the state-mandated public employee retirement system, otherwise known as PERS.

&#8220We understand the council had to make some tough decisions this year with the budget,” said Dan Benson, a Palmer resident. &#8220But let's face it, his salary will only be a drop in the bucket compared to what he can give back. One year is a very short time to see results, and Mayor Combs has only been full-time for the past six months. Mayor Combs is in a position to give Palmer great (financial) favors. A full-time job needs a full-time mayor.”

Others saw the ordinances as evidence that council members were bickering among themselves.

&#8220I was surprised to hear and read in the newspaper that you are considering cutting back the mayor's job,” said Jo Weller. &#8220The mayor's performance is being undermined if he doesn't have the full support of the council.”

To change midstream, she said, makes the council look at if it makes decisions on a &#8220whimsy” which &#8220flies in the face of Palmer's reputation.”

&#8220To vote for a part-time mayor now would be a backwards action,” Weller said.

Contact Sharon G. McBride at 353-2252 or sharon.mcbride@frontiersman.com.