Study committee sets proposed council pay, schedules public outreach as charter drafting continues

The Town Council Study Committee on March 12 approved a proposal setting councilor compensation at $40 and a premium for the council president at $50, and advanced outreach and drafting steps for a proposed town charter ahead of a nonbinding May 3 vote.

The committee’s vote on pay came after extended discussion of possible salary levels, health-benefit treatment and the budgetary impact of paying nine councilors. “If it isn't broke, don't fix it,” the committee chair said while summarizing options, and members agreed to present the $40/$50 figure for further public feedback. Committee members also asked staff to clarify timing and transitional details in the draft charter and to seek a contract modification to add funds for the Collins Center, the outside consultant that prepared earlier charter materials.

Why it matters: The compensation rule would be written into the charter language being prepared for voter review; committee members said doing so creates an enforceable obligation that future councils must fund. Members also said the pay figure could affect who runs and how the town budgets for a smaller elected legislative body instead of the traditional open town meeting.

Committee discussion and context Committee members debated salary magnitude, health benefits and the expected total budget effect. One member noted that nine councilors at the $40 figure would equate to roughly $360,000 in total annual salary, a point used to illustrate the budget implications though the transcript does not state salaries in thousands explicitly. Several members said a $40 base would be “a starting point” to be revisited by the elected council after its first year; the committee voted to forward the $40/$50 proposal to the next drafting steps and public outreach.

The committee also discussed a request from the Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board to remain an elected body rather than be converted to an appointed advisory panel. Jeff, who met with the Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board on the committee’s behalf, said board members told him they prefer staying elected because collecting signatures to run signals commitment and they believe elections provide stronger representation. “They were very much in favor of staying elected,” Jeff said; the committee did not adopt a formal change and agreed to note that preference in the draft materials for further consideration.

Funding and contractor work Committee members said the town has used the $34,000 budgeted for Collins Center work and asked staff to pursue a contract modification for an additional amount (one figure discussed informally was $3,000–$5,000) so the consultant can deliver final charter documents for both town and county drafts. Anthony was asked to draft a contract modification for review by town legal staff and the project lead.

Public outreach and next steps The committee agreed to a public-outreach plan with multiple formats: two weekday evening sessions, at least one Saturday session and one digital forum. Venues discussed include the Nantucket Atheneum, the Fairgrounds building and neighborhood locations; committee members also proposed hybrid or Zoom options to broaden participation. The committee agreed to form subgroups — one to craft info-session materials (one- to two-page fact sheets and FAQs) and one to draft the committee’s final report — and to recruit volunteers from the committee to staff sessions.

Committee members referenced recent outreach the Nantucket Civic League hosted that featured a former Amherst town councilor, and they said examples from Amherst and Barnstable will be used to explain how a council form of government operates in practice. The committee also discussed election timing, including a practical option of placing the election on a third-Tuesday-in-May schedule and backdating candidate-petition deadlines to meet statutory notice requirements; members asked the town clerk and KP Law to confirm statutory constraints and transitional timing so the draft charter can specify sensible dates.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Set councilor base compensation at $40 and the council president at $50 (units not specified in the meeting transcript). Outcome: Approved by voice vote; no nays recorded. Notes: The motion was described as a recommended starting point subject to public comment and later council adjustment; the transcript records committee consensus and a voice vote but does not include a roll-call tally.

What’s next The committee will ask Anthony to prepare a contract modification request to the town for additional Collins Center funding, finalize a town and a county charter draft for review by KP Law and the town manager, schedule the series of public information sessions, and prepare a one- to two-page handout for distribution at the May 3 special town meeting. The committee set its next meeting for March 26 and discussed having committee representatives make a brief, scripted statement at the May 3 meeting prior to the nonbinding vote.