Palmer council, mayor get raise

PALMER -- After more than 20 years, the Palmer City Council is giving itself, the mayor and the planning commission a raise.

At last week's meeting, the council unanimously voted to double its stipend from $50 to $100 for regular meetings, in addition to upping the special meeting rate from $10 to $25. At the same time, council members will get $50 for each work session they attend, which they weren't paid for in the past.

At the same time, the council more than doubled the mayor's stipend from $75 to $200 for each regular meeting, and gave him $50 for each special meeting and $100 per work session. The final amounts were more than the original proposed ordinance change, but council member John Combs moved to increase the raises further, pointing out that the mayor's duties extend well beyond paid meetings.

"I think it's every bit justified," Combs said.

The rest of the council agreed.

Council member Steve Carrington said he has been impressed with how well known, and well liked, Mayor Jim Cooper is around the state.

"We know we have a very hard-working mayor," Carrington said.

Planning commissioners also got a pay increase from $25 to $50 for each regular or special meeting, and they will also get $25 for each previously unpaid work session.

"All of the people associated with the commission work many, many hours, and their stipends ought to reflect a small token of our appreciation and their responsibility," said council member Brad Hanson before he voted in favor of the increase.

Several council members said they appreciated the work the planning commission does, especially considering the topics and details the commissioners have to work with.

"I don't know how they do it," council member Kathrine Vanover said. "They're worth every penny."

Planning commissioners will get their raises immediately, but the stipend increases for the mayor and council won't go into effect until Oct. 13, following the next regular election.

The stipend increases are far from an everyday occurrence -- council members and the city attorney estimated that the last time such a change had been made was most likely in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

Despite the irregularity of the motion, however, it didn't bring about much discussion. No one testified during the public hearings, and the council's only comments were limited to praise of the planning commission and mayor.