Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Finance Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council appoints new comptroller and assessor; members debate charter language on mayor pay
Summary
The Blackwater City Council approved resolutions appointing Jacqueline M. Dole as city comptroller and Michael Milks as city assessor, waiving residency requirements. Council members debated whether raising the mayor’s salary (tied to the comptroller’s pay) during a term conflicts with the city charter and agreed to seek a legal opinion.
The Blackwater City Council on Feb. 18 adopted resolutions appointing Jacqueline M. Dole as city comptroller with a $125,000 salary and Michael Milks as city assessor with an $80,000 salary, and waived residency requirements for both hires.
The measures matter because the council heard that the comptroller hire will affect the mayor’s pay under a charter provision that links the mayor’s salary to the comptroller’s. Council members debated whether increasing the mayor’s salary during the mayor’s term would require a charter amendment or separate legal review.
During the caucus discussion ahead of the vote, the mayor’s office and a representative from the comptroller’s office said the 2024–25 budget already includes full-year salary lines for both positions and that the city expects to cover the remainder of this fiscal year (about 11 pay periods) without an additional appropriation. A city accounting representative said outside accounting services used since last April have exceeded $100,000 and that hiring an in-house comptroller would reduce those costs. The representative also said the incoming comptroller would start in roughly two weeks and that some overlap and training would be required because the assistant comptroller is on leave.
Council member concerns centered on the size and timing of the mayor’s pay increase that would follow the comptroller’s hire. One council member cited a provision they identified as section 16-10 of the city charter and said the charter may prohibit salary increases for elected officials during their current term. The council president (unnamed in the record) said there appear to be conflicting charter and code provisions and that the law department could not provide a conclusive legal opinion that evening. Council members discussed retaining outside counsel to resolve the question before taking any action on mayoral compensation; the council did not adopt any change to the mayor’s salary at the meeting.
Formal votes in the Feb. 18 meeting: the resolution waiving residency and appointing Jacqueline M. Dole as city comptroller (salary $125,000) passed 4–1. The motion to adopt the comptroller resolution was moved by Council member Moreno and seconded by Council member Anderson; roll-call votes recorded McLahey: Yes; Anderson: Yes; Moretti: Yes; Surdike: No; Moreno: Yes. The resolution waiving residency and appointing Michael Milks as city assessor (salary $80,000) passed unanimously, 5–0.
Council members and staff said the hires are intended to restore in-house capacity after nearly a year of relying on outside accounting contractors. Staff estimated the additional salary obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year could be absorbed within existing lines, and that the city will budget the full annual salaries in the next fiscal year.
No change to the mayor’s salary was approved at the meeting; council members asked for a legal opinion to clarify whether the charter allows a salary change during the mayor’s current term.
