Wasilla City Council approves compensation raises and limits mayor’s authority

The Wasilla City Council unanimously approved increasing councilmembers' pay for attending every meeting and limiting the mayor’s authority to call special meetings.

Before the passing of the new legislation, councilmembers were previously paid $225 for every regular City Council meeting and $112.50 for every special meeting that lasted at least one hour, up to eight meetings a year.

The legislation was introduced by Councilmember Stu Graham, who felt that councilmembers needed compensation for every type of meeting. He also cited that city employees received a 15 percent pay increase this year, and he wanted the same for councilmembers.

Councilmembers will now be paid $260 for every meeting they attend.

More intense discussion came up primarily in the second half of the legislation regarding who could call a special meeting. Special meetings could be called by the Mayor or by at least two council members. Graham suggested that special meetings should be called by a majority of the council and not by the Mayor.

Councilmember Nikki Velock had objections to this.

“I have served under two mayors and I have not seen, witnessed, or known of them to be abuse that authority,” Velock said.

Councilmember Ian Crafton proposed a compromise. Limit the Mayor’s authority to only call eight special meetings a year.

“I think a lot of the intent behind this is to bring it forward to the council so that we have an opportunity to actually think about when special meetings are happening and have something put in front of us, so we can have a discussion at that time as to when those special meetings were,” Crafton said.

Mayor Glenda Ledford rebutted, saying that a majority of the special meetings that were called this year were on the council and not her. She cited the Title 16 Rewrite special meetings where the council or councilmembers have asked for additional meetings or continuation meetings past the one that she specifically called for.

Crafton’s amendment was approved, with one objection, being Velock.

“I think this is adding more rules and limitations where it’s not needed,” Velock said.

Another amendment was created by Crafton to have special meetings called by the council, requiring four votes. This passed, but not before there was confusion about the difference between the mayor and the administration calling a meeting versus when the council can call a meeting.

For example, the administration sends an email to councilmembers saying the special budget meeting should be on a specific date and time and if that would work for everyone. Who is approving that meeting? The mayor or the city council?

“It depends on how you bring it forward to the council,” Graham told the Mayor.

The amendment passed unanimously. This means that if City Council wants to hold a special meeting, they must vote on it via an Action Memorandum during a regularly scheduled meeting.

The entire piece of legislation was passed unanimously by the City Council.