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ACCEPT BY MOTION THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL SALARY SETTING COMMISSION TO MAKE NO CHANGES TO THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE MAYOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE IV, SECTION 410 OF THE CITY CHARTER
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council accept by motion the recommendation of the City Council Salary Setting Commission (Commission) to make no changes to the salary and benefits for the Mayor of the City of Stockton as currently established by Sections 2.08.010 and 2.08.020 of the Stockton Municipal Code.
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Summary
Pursuant to the City of Stockton Charter Article IV, Section 410, the Commission convened on February 22, 2017, to begin reviewing and discussing the newly elected Mayor’s salary and benefits. The Commission met again on March 2, 2017, and held a Public Hearing on March 8, 2017, at which time Commission members voted 3-2 to recommend no change to the Mayor’s salary and benefits (Attachment A).
DISCUSSION
Background
Since the Salary Setting Commission’s inception in 2000, the Commission has convened eight times to make recommendations on Mayor and Council member salaries and benefits. In 2015, the Council Salary Setting Commission met to discuss the Mayor and Council salaries. At that time, City of Stockton Charter Article IV, Section 410 provided that during every odd-numbered year, the Commission would meet to recommend to the Council the amount of monthly salary and benefits it deemed appropriate for the Mayor and Council. While the amount recommended for each Councilmember was to be the same, the amount recommended for the Mayor could exceed that of the Council. On May 9, 2016, the Council Salary Setting Commission made a recommendation to the Stockton City Council to adopt an ordinance to decrease the Mayor’s annual compensation from $8,733 monthly ($104,796 annually) to $6,032 monthly ($72,381 annually) and to include life insurance with the Mayor’s medical, dental, and vision insurance benefits.
On November 6, 2016, the voters approved changes to the City of Stockton Charter. The current Charter now provides that the Commission will review and make recommendations for the Mayor’s salary and benefits every four years while the Council member salaries are to be reviewed every even numbered year. As it relates to the Mayor, the City of Stockton Charter Article IV, Section 410 specifically states “Between March 1st and April 30th of a Mayoral election year, the Council Salary Setting Commission shall recommend to the Council the amount of monthly salary and the benefits which it deems appropriate for the Mayor for the entire term commencing on January 1st of the next year at the beginning of the term of the elected Mayor.” Further, “In the first year after passage, which will be an odd year [2017], the Salary Setting Commission will make salary recommendations for the Mayor.” The Salary Setting Commission will reconvene in January 2018 to review, discuss, and make a recommendation regarding the City Council’s salary and benefits.
Present Situation
As required by the amended Charter Article IV, Section 410, the Commission convened on February 22, 2017, to begin reviewing and discussing the newly elected Mayor’s salary and benefits. The Commission met again on March 2, 2017, and held a Public Hearing on March 8, 2017, to review and discuss additional requested information and hear public comment. The Commission made a recommendation by a majority vote at the March 8, 2017, Public Hearing.
During each of the meetings, the Commission requested Human Resources staff provide a variety of information, such as revised Mayoral salary information for comparator cities, consumer price index information, median housing prices, and unemployment rates for comparator cities, City of Stockton employee salary and cost of living adjustment information, and Mayor duty statements for Stockton, Modesto, and San Jose. The Commission also heard and considered public comment on the Mayor’s salary and benefits, and discussed information that each Commission member felt was important to determine a recommendation.
On March 8, 2017, the Commission concluded its review, finding that it had adequately evaluated requested information and public comment, and had enough information to make a recommendation to the City Council for the Mayor’s salary and benefits. As such, the Commission voted 3-2 in favor of recommending no change to the Mayor’s salary and benefits.
In accordance with Stockton Charter Article IV, Section 410, the Council shall, by ordinance, adopt the salaries as recommended by the Commission, or in some lesser amount, but in no event, may it increase the amount. Since the Commission is recommending no change to the Mayor’s salary and benefits, no ordinance is necessary. Therefore, the City Council can approve the Commission’s recommendation by motion.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Upon approval of the Commission’s recommendation, the Mayor’s annual salary will remain at $6,032 per month, $72,384 per year, in accordance with Stockton Municipal Code section 2.08.010. The Mayor will also continue to receive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits budgeted at an approximate cost of up to $18,312 per year in accordance with Stockton Municipal Code section 2.08.020. There is no additional cost associated with the Commission’s recommendation.
Attachment A - Salary Setting Commission Recommendation Memo