Salary Commission approves $1,500 monthly pay for mayor, cites RCW requirement

At its July 23, 2025, meeting, the Salary Commission approved a decision setting the mayor’s salary at $1,500 per month for the upcoming two-year term. The commission said a review of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) attached to the meeting agenda required the commission to set a fixed salary for the full term rather than tie the mayor’s pay to whether the city had an administrator.

The decision followed a discussion in which a commission member said the city attorney, Emily, reviewed the draft and advised that state law prevents changing the mayor’s salary midterm. "Long story short is we can't do that. So you have to set his salary for the 2 year term," the member said. The commission left the draft at $1,500 per month and asked whether members wanted further discussion or changes.

Commissioner Donna Butler, Commissioner Dave Smith and Commissioner Tim Knight voted yes to approve the salary decision as presented. The motion to adopt the commission decision was approved without recorded opposition. The commission also approved the minutes of its July 9, 2025, meeting during the same session.

The discussion and vote took place at the commission’s regularly scheduled meeting; commissioners spent only a few minutes on the item and did not record any amendments to the draft. The commission did not take additional formal actions directing staff to change the salary or seek further legal analysis during the meeting.

The meeting began at 6:00 p.m. and adjourned at approximately 6:04 p.m.