Mount Vernon administration says council pay ordinance needs passage before election

City of Mount Vernon officials told City Council on committee Tuesday that Ordinance 2025-29, which would set the salaries for the council president and council members for the next four-year cycle, needs to be adopted before the next council takes office. The administration said the ordinance received a first reading at the previous meeting and that human resources and the auditorwant the compensation set in advance so payroll and benefits can be arranged.

The ordinance would apply to the council president and members and reflects a modest, routine increase to track cost-of-living adjustments that the administration described as consistent with past practice. "There was a slight, very modest increase of council's pay going up basically, just to keep track with the required growth," an administration representative said during committee. No final vote was taken because two council members were absent and the council cannot act without the full complement required by its rules.

Council members in committee voiced support for setting pay for the next four years to avoid repeated legislation, while noting the council could revisit pay if circumstances change. One council member said she had discussed the matter with a colleague and thought the proposed approach "made sense" and that a future ordinance could be introduced if adjustments were needed.

Because the ordinance must be in place before the new council is seated, the administration said it expects to bring the measure back for additional readings once a quorum is present. No formal motion or vote on the ordinance occurred during the committee meeting.