Mayor raise delayed

Wasilla council mulls $11,000 pay hike

Feb. 27, 2007

By Russell Stigall

Frontiersman

WASILLA - Drinks are on Wasilla Mayor Dianne M. Keller.

If the Wasilla City Council approves a resolution in April to raise Keller's wage, the mayor will be sitting on an extra $11,000 per year.

The resolution, sponsored by council member Greg Koskela, was postponed Monday night because the meeting started with too few council members, although those members showed up later.

Voting on Keller's raise will wait until April 9.

The resolution originally was slated as a consent agenda item, which precludes discussion and debate.

Since 2003, Keller's salary has risen from $68,000 to $73,246. The new increase would give the mayor $84,232 yearly. The mayor's annual salary does not include benefits.

Keller said she is currently paid less than most department heads, including the city clerk.

In comparison, the city of Palmer pays its Mayor John Combs around $40,000 a year.

During the council meeting's persons to be heard section, several residents expressed concern about the mayor's raise.

Colleen Cottle said it was unfair to offer the mayor a raise when police officers were recently denied a wage increase. And, at nearly $85,000, the mayor's wage would not fit with the wages of the majority of Wasilla workers, Cottle said.

City raises should be more universal, said Conrad Hower.

&#8220It is not fair when others are looking to get raises and they're stopped pretty cold,” said Hower.

Mayor Keller was quick to mention that the city of

Wasilla practices &#8220pay for

performance.”

&#8220If you hear of a city employee that did not get a raise, it is because they didn't earn it,” Keller said.

Keller served a one-year term and a full term as Wasilla City Council member for Seat B beginning in 1996. In 2002, she ran for and became mayor. Keller is on her second term as mayor and will serve until 2008. Born in Alaska, Keller moved to the Valley in 1983. She lives in Wasilla with her husband, Dave Keller, and son, Seth Keller, 12.

The mayor position in Wasilla is considered a strong mayor. It is a full-time position, in control of the day-to-day operations of the city, and is in lieu of a city manager. This is in contrast to volunteer mayors such as Seward's mayor, Vanta Shafer, who gets a stipend and has a separate, full-time job.

Contact Russell Stigall at 352-2267 or russell.stigall@

frontiersman.com.