[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6080447,"mediaKeyId","2946940-670350344ada330623d93dd3ed81e2d9","parentId",2946940,"title","Proposal to pay Charter Review commissioners draws split reaction from public and panel","audioSeconds",523,"startMs",4027000,"endMs",4550000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946940-670350344ada330623d93dd3ed81e2d9&start=4027&end=4550","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946940-670350344ada330623d93dd3ed81e2d9/thumbnail_4027000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6080447/Whatcom-County/Washington/Proposal-to-pay-Charter-Review-commissioners-draws-split-reaction-from-public-and-panel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080447-bd8b81349fe2149a8fea9be26ce7811e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770488954&Signature=nWyT1AUejoJBvDXBvviuxEfR-yh2UFvaN2cY5NjgmOEe6GxGk2yBcXUEnYL2OV-Lna0W9O7YX26d8KJKOMDAG6rnzHaa5UqCkaqYiKPDC1RHbaMh7nkcYIOcKv2j0JGrbPXp9gk7wcavK~FNjDf0TOhY1DoyyeQpTz3pogFfa8HGZhPYN1hdfDGy3~a61rE9gM1ZpttkLK2yKmGpN7ki~wzv0ATuqgctYQMF6P2LHdcAesOL3aUnEYpjtXa61YVhS1qdLke2CVjBpLc9vgZNLbVShdwQm22os~i~RkXLKDLjX6Qgt~Xf-6uIxdAr5Nnt1hC09w9I1F6EGPZfKiIvhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Whatcom County, WA","date","2025-04-10T15:43:25.27Z","article","Commissioner Mike Morales presented Amendment 11 to the Charter Review Commission seeking to change Article 8, Section 8.13 so Charter Review Commission members would “serve with salary” rather than “serve without salary,” and to add a time-limited pay structure tied to an annualized multiple of the minimum wage for months in which the commission meets in preparation for a ballot.

The proposal drew immediate public comment and sustained discussion among commissioners. In public comment, John Westerfeld urged the commission to keep the post unpaid. “I believe this needs to remain an unpaid position,” Westerfeld said, telling the commission he had campaigned without expecting remuneration.

Supporters of pay argued compensation would broaden the applicant pool and reduce the economic barriers to running for and serving in elected roles. Commissioner Collins said payment need not strip an activity of its public service character: “Payment does not make something not service, right?” she asked, arguing pay could make the role accessible to people who cannot afford to forgo other wages.

Opponents warned of optics and precedent. Commissioner Munster called the idea “a can of worms,” and other commissioners said the county already allows reimbursement for reasonable expenses and suggested clarifying that language rather than adding salaries. Commissioner Henning read the charter language aloud and urged commissioners to submit expense claims: “According to the Charter, we must be able to get remunerated for any reasonable expenses,” Henning said.

Commissioners debated mechanics and budget implications. Morales’ draft tied pay to a multiplier of the state minimum wage and sought to limit pay to months when the commission meets in preparation for a ballot. One commissioner ran the numbers for an illustrative set of assumptions and said the proposal would cost roughly $11,032 under a quarter-time, seven-month interpretation of the stated multiplier.

Process and next steps: Morales said he had asked the existing salary commission for a hypothetical but was told the commission would not provide one. Several commissioners suggested clarifying reimbursement language and exploring a per-diem or stipend alternative; others said any change would ultimately be decided by voters if placed on the charter. The commission did not take a vote on Amendment 11 at this meeting.

Why it matters: The change would alter who can afford to run for and serve in a high-profile, elected charter-review role and could prompt broader debates about paid service vs. volunteerism in local government. The panel continues to weigh the trade-offs among accessibility, public optics and budget constraints.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Whatcom County Charter Review Commission Meeting 4.7.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioner Mike Morales proposed Amendment 11 to allow salaries for Charter Review Commission members. Public comment and commissioners were divided: some argued pay would broaden access, others called it unnecessary and preferred clearer reimbursement language. No vote was taken.","taxTitle","Whatcom County, Washington","taxId",2976,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6080451,"Charter panel debates capping elected officials’ pay, advances discussion to committee of the whole",2888,579000,3467000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946940-670350344ada330623d93dd3ed81e2d9&start=579&end=3467","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946940-670350344ada330623d93dd3ed81e2d9/thumbnail_579000.jpg","/articles/6080451/Whatcom-County/Washington/Charter-panel-debates-capping-elected-officials-pay-advances-discussion-to-committee-of-the-whole","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080451-d62edd52a86d6a45d8de0872ce367d59/orig.mp4?Expires=1770488954&Signature=krpjlWxr5YclSwlhUmcYY2tzb5o1zhkCBrLI3GCNAQVJA2bweO13Fk91-eXxtX-2mGs4ZVZFhEv0G6J6Te9icPrLkAAHGtaTrOI5nP65TDfPZ9ZXFss4atkXuOafK2sYdT0HRcGIZ7CcDtBO3LsbVNNTjWYRLsaac4nJReTqnXzzZUstklpOvtlXxzy572GJb1c3YI4Tvf6zu9cGFAYLyiHU326q~b3f7kBdd3WwIxCSpd0SGMSsa5xf54AcSGEMQOpDN4C0ysdtaESDLd-wSQSlsEYYKOsMDV24DUvTQXEdbhXThNSbWk90mOXbphsbf5ngXbhGa-5Bv3ogOvHQgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Whatcom County Charter Review Commission members spent the meeting’s longest block debating a proposal to change how elected officials’ salaries are set and indexed. Commissioner Andrew Redding proposed replacing the current salary-commission system with a formula tied to the state minimum wage and set numeric caps intended to keep the county executive below the governor’s pay and other elected officials below comparable state posts.

Redding said the change was aimed at bringing what he described as “obvious imbalances” into line with local conditions. “We’re a small county, we’re a county with, you know, where, the average wage is, annual wage is $62,000 a year, we’re paying more for part time positions than people get for full time average positions,” Redding said. He told colleagues the proposal was designed “in such a way that it would not be harsh in any way, shape, or form, and would just put a pause, really, on the increases until they fit into that set of criteria.”

Redding offered concrete comparisons and figures during his remarks, saying his draft would place the county executive at about $220,000 under the new baseline and noting an alternative current figure of $244,000 that he said would remain in place under existing rules until the next election. He also said the administration has added several new staff positions that he calculated at roughly $359,000 a year in additional expense.

Supporters and opponents of the change voiced different priorities. Treasurer Steve Oliver, who addressed the commission during public comment and during the meeting, urged attention to local comparables and the salary commission’s deliberations. He said the salary commission’s decisions have used local benchmarks in recent years and cautioned against simplistic comparisons to statewide pay scales. “The treasurer should be paid the same as your highest director. It doesn’t get any more clear than that,” Oliver said.

Other commissioners argued the salary commission — an independent body that has been meeting to set 2026 rates — should remain in place. Commissioner Doug Reynolds told the panel the commission “is currently meeting and has been since January” and said commissioners should consider providing more public input to that body rather than removing it. Several commissioners said the salary commission process can be improved without replacing it.

Concerns raised included budgetary optics and recruitment. Commissioner John Muschler and others said paying local executives above governors or state-level counterparts could create perverse incentives and hurt public trust. Commissioner Mike Morales and others warned about possible workforce effects and urged guardrails so that supervisors are not paid less than those they supervise.

Process notes: the commission moved into a Committee of the Whole to continue debate after a motion and second; the motion passed by voice vote. No final vote on Redding’s amendment was recorded during the meeting.

Why it matters: changing the county’s charter language on compensation would likely require voter approval and could shift how salaries rise over time, affecting county payroll, recruitment and public perceptions of elected service. The commission did not adopt the amendment at this meeting and will continue deliberations in the Committee of the Whole.","Whatcom County Charter Review Commission discussed a proposal to reset elected officials’ salaries and tie future increases to the state minimum wage; commissioners split on whether to limit pay or preserve the existing salary commission process. The panel moved discussion into a Committee of the Whole for further debate.","actionData","errors"]

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Proposal to pay Charter Review commissioners draws split reaction from public and panel

Charter panel debates capping elected officials’ pay, advances discussion to committee of the whole