Pay hike OK'd

Wasilla City Council to get $6,000 per year

June 30, 2006

By MARY AMES/Frontiersman

WASILLA - No public testimony supported the flat-rate pay raise for the city council Monday night, but that did not prevent councilors from approving it anyway.

By a vote of 4-1, the new ordinance designates that council members will be paid an annual compensation of $6,000, no matter how many meetings they attend. The previous ordinance provided each member $75 per meeting.

Hans Svendson questioned how anyone could not call the vote a conflict of interest.

&#8220Take that pay raise and buy the cops a helicopter,” Svendson said, voicing concern about reckless ATV riders destroying the environment.

Dianne Woodruff said all council members invest a lot of time and effort in their duties. While she supported an increase in compensation, Woodruff said she objected to the flat rate.

&#8220People should run for the council to serve, not for the monetary benefit,” Woodruff said.

The flat rate also bothered Coleen Cottle.

&#8220Recently, a member came to only half the meetings and never studied his packet,” Cottle said. &#8220I agree with Dianne Woodruff. Raise it to $100 per meeting. I feel sitting on the city council should be a community service.”

Council member Steve Menard, the ordinance's sponsor, explained the benefit of a flat rate.

&#8220As I've gone over many, many times, it's all in the perception and the way you package it,” Menard said. &#8220The number of times we meet annually, times $100, far exceeds $6,000.”

According to the Municipality Salary and Benefit Survey included in the council's meeting packet, council members met 35 times in 2005 and 45 times in fiscal year 2006, which ends today. At $100 a meeting the compensation would have been $4,500.

&#8220I had no idea what it takes to be on the council, but I love it and would do it for free,” Menard said. &#8220We need something to attract people, to compensate for their time. This is for the future of the city and where it is going.”

Council member Marty Metiva said he ran for his council seat because he just wanted to run. He didn't know members were compensated, he said. But he ran unopposed, as did Menard, and, at least one time, so did council members Ron Cox and Diana Straub, he said.

&#8220The city of Wasilla is a great place,” Metiva said. &#8220But what caught my attention was the list of municipalities that shows we're the lowest paid.”

Metiva said he supported the new ordinance because it would show sitting on the council was a true, serious position.

Council member Ron Cox said he supported the flat rate and the increase in salary, saying what he earned as a councilman doesn't cover his cost for city health insurance.

&#8220We have to have new blood,” Cox said. &#8220And we need a rate that will attract people.”

Council member and deputy mayor Howard O'Neil said he was skeptical when he first read the ordinance, but he'd thought about it a long time since then.

&#8220Giving myself a raise rubs me the wrong way,” said O'Neil, before casting a vote in favor of the increased compensation.

Council member Mark Ewing, who cast the only vote against the proposal, spoke about the time he puts into city business, taking leave from his job to do so. If he figured his time and the money as a councilman, he probably would be making about $5 an hour, Ewing said. Ewing said he saw Menard's point, but couldn't vote for the ordinance.

&#8220I base my vote on what people say,” Ewing said. &#8220They've told us ‘We're OK with a hundred bucks per meeting.'”

Menard said he could remember back when the mayor wasn't paid, the argument being it was an honor to serve.

&#8220Now the mayor is in charge of a $31 million budget,” Menard said. &#8220You want someone who is bright and articulate in a mayor and council.”

&#8220Every progressive community in the state has gone to a flat rate,” Menard said. &#8220Maybe we are ahead of the curve. We all hate to give ourselves raises. You think I'm going to go out and buy a boat? Give me a break.”

After the vote, John Luberger said the council should be paid more.

&#8220You're in charge of a lot of money and you need to make smart decisions,” he said.

Council member Diana Straub had to leave the meeting before the vote and discussion.

The ordinance goes into effect on July 1.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@frontiersman.com.