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Pembroke Park amends commission pay, removes CPI tie and strips parity note
Summary
The Town Commission approved Ordinance No. 2025006 to provide an annual cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for commissioners aligned with general employees and removed a pay‑plan note tying manager and police chief pay together.
The Town Commission of the Town of Pembroke Park on Sept. 24 approved an ordinance to adjust commissioners’ compensation and provide an annual cost‑of‑living adjustment consistent with the COLA given to general town employees. Ordinance No. 2025006 passed 4‑1, with Mayor Jacobs voting no.
Town Attorney described the ordinance as an amendment to Chapter 2 of the town code that “eliminate[s] the reference to the CPI, the consumer price index, and provide[s] for an annual COLA consistent with the cost of living adjustment that was provided to all general employees.” The change was advanced after debate about language in the town’s pay plan that previously referenced a CPI adjustment and a separate note (note 5) that aligned pay between the town manager and the police chief.
The commission also approved a separate amendment, by unanimous vote, that struck the CPI reference from the pay‑plan note and removed note 5 that had been interpreted to create ongoing parity between the two executive positions. Commissioners discussed whether the parity language was intended only for the two people holding those positions today or as a permanent policy. Town Attorney and several commissioners said the amendment clarifies intent so future hires are not automatically placed at the same pay level.
Resident David Roach spoke during public comment and opposed the raise. “I still think it’s too much money, the $70,000. Going from 50 to 75,000 is a big jump,” Roach said, requesting more restraint on compensation increases.
Commissioners debated competing priorities in setting pay. One commissioner noted that contracts for the manager and police chief provide for merit adjustments and COLA, and that the recent pay‑plan changes already aligned those two individual contracts to a midrange salary. The town attorney recommended a separate item later to amend the pay plan to remove any conflict between the pay plan and the ordinance.
The commission’s formal actions on the item were: adoption of Ordinance No. 2025006 (vote 4 yes, 1 no) and a subsequent motion to amend the pay plan by removing the CPI reference and striking note 5 (vote 5‑0). The ordinance will be codified and an additional pay‑plan amendment will be scheduled to make the documents consistent.
The change affects how commissioners’ pay will increase going forward but does not, on its face, change individual employment contracts for town staff; commissioners and staff indicated separate contract and pay‑plan steps will follow to align language and implementation.
