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Clerk and Deputy Clerk Present Salary Comparisons as City Enters Budget Season
Summary
Deputy clerk presented comparative salary data for city clerks and deputy clerks, noting the last significant parity adjustment in 2021 and recommending the mayor consider adjustments during the upcoming budget process; council directed that recommendations may be submitted to the mayor by the first August business meeting.
Samantha Costello, deputy clerk, presented council with supporting materials comparing city clerk and deputy‑clerk salaries to those in comparable municipalities as the city approaches budget season.
Costello said the last major adjustment for parity was in 2021 (affecting the 2022 clerk salary) and noted that comparable municipalities—including Ithaca, Syracuse, Schenectady, Utica, Troy and Niagara—show an average clerk salary near $83,000 in the samples her office used. “The role of clerk and deputy clerk is a very disparate role across municipality,” Costello told council, describing differences in duties and in whether a given clerk’s office handles taxes, legislative support or registration duties.
She reviewed the charter timeline: pursuant to a charter provision presented to council (section 1‑24‑40 as cited in the meeting), the employees committee presented information at the first July work session and the mayor considers departmental recommendations; council may submit an official recommendation to the mayor by the first business meeting in August if it chooses to do so.
Council members asked for additional comparators and for follow‑up research. Costello said she would accept specific data requests to refine the recommendation before the mayor finalizes the budget proposal.
No salary adjustments were adopted during the meeting; the presentation was intended to inform the mayor’s budget development and to provide material council could use if it chooses to make a formal recommendation by the charter deadline.
Action items: staff will provide further comparator data on request and the clerk’s office will prepare any formal recommendation for council consideration before the first business meeting in August if council wishes to submit one to the mayor.
