Pontiac commission begins process to set full-time salary for council president; schedules follow-up

Pontiac — The Pontiac Officers' Compensation Commission opened a review of pay for the newly full-time council president on Jan. 16, hearing a detailed presentation from Council President Mike McGinnis and scheduling a follow-up meeting for Jan. 23 to set the salary.

The discussion centered on what the city charter and local practice require of the council president and how a full-time designation should translate into compensation. Commissioners did not set a pay rate at the meeting and directed staff and commissioners to gather comparables and other information before the next session.

McGinnis, who was re-elected council president last week for a one-year term, outlined duties he said are specified in the charter and the council's rules, and many additional practical responsibilities he has performed. "The city charter says that the council president presides at all city council meetings," McGinnis said, listing responsibilities that he and previous presidents have handled, including setting agendas with the clerk, overseeing council staff and budget items for council operations, and interfacing regularly with the mayor's office to coordinate agendas.

McGinnis described additional, informal tasks he said have become part of the role in practice: weekly agenda-review calls with the mayor and deputy mayor; supervising a council chief of staff (Sherika Hawkins), an outreach coordinator (James McQueen) and an administrative assistant (Angelita Santiago); and tracking open council business so priorities do not stall. He said council-led district projects typically range from roughly $20,000 to $40,000 per district, which the president helps authorize.

A staff member advising the commission told members that state law limits the commission's role to setting salary and that benefit packages are determined by the city administration. "All you can do is set salary," the staff member said, emphasizing that benefits and retirement are handled outside the commission's authority. The commission was also reminded that it must complete its salary decision within 45 days, a statutory timing constraint noted during the meeting: "It does not have to be done tonight, but it has to be done within 45 days," the staff member said.

Commissioners emphasized the need for comparables and for a salary that will allow a full-time council president to serve without undue financial hardship. "This will become a desired position," Commissioner Robert Jackson said, noting concern that compensation will affect who seeks the job and whether incumbents can afford to treat it as a full-time post.

The commission did not vote on a salary. Instead members approved a motion to reconvene at 6 p.m. on Jan. 23 to continue work on compensation, and they urged individual members to research comparable municipal arrangements and living-wage benchmarks before the next meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to excuse absent commissioners: approved, 4–0 (Gross, Jackson, Jones, Turpin voted yes). Motion moved/supported in the meeting record; mover/second not specified in the transcript.

- Motion to approve Nov. 27 minutes: approved, 4–0 (Gross, Jackson, Jones, Turpin voted yes). Mover/second not specified in the transcript.

- Motion to meet Jan. 23 at 6:00 p.m. to continue compensation work: approved, 4–0 (Jackson, Jones, Turpin, Gross voted yes). Mover/second noted as moved and supported on record; specific mover/second not specified.

- Motion to adjourn: approved, 4–0.

The commission heard additional procedural guidance during the meeting: work must be conducted in public under Michigan's Open Meetings Act, and the body may only convene to set salaries in odd-numbered years unless law changes. Commissioners noted the charter change that made the council president a full-time position took effect after voters approved a new charter last year; McGinnis said some new charter provisions (appointments to new boards) have not yet become active but could add duties for the president in future years.

McGinnis said he plans to treat the role as his full-time job for the coming year and described having already reduced hours in other positions in anticipation of additional responsibilities. He told commissioners he and prior presidents have broadened the role in practice in order to provide a stronger legislative check on the mayor's office and to follow up on council priorities such as emergency services, projects and the annual budget.

The commission requested additional research on compensation comparables (participants noted few Michigan municipalities have a single full-time council president), potential budget impacts and how the full-time role should be defined operationally (hours, location, expectations). The record shows commissioners intend to consider both the charter's formal duties and the practical, day-to-day work that a full-time president would perform.

The commission set its next public meeting for 6 p.m. Jan. 23 at City Hall to continue the compensation decision and adjourned at approximately 7:12 p.m.