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Eugene council directs additional research on mayor and council compensation after split opinions
Summary
The council voted 7-1 to ask staff for additional research on elected-official compensation and potential community review; one councilor opposed moving the topic forward toward the ballot now.
The Eugene City Council voted 7-1 on Sept. 24 to direct staff to prepare additional research on mayor and council compensation, including comparables and options for citizen advisory review, rather than placing a compensation question on the charter at this time.
Councilors discussed current stipends (staff noted the mayor's annual stipend is just over $32,000 and councilors' stipends are just over $21,000, adjusted annually by the Consumer Price Index West) and how other cities handle pay and benefits. Staff said none of the comparison cities set compensation in their charters; many address it by ordinance and several use citizen committees to review amounts.
Councilor Keating and others argued compensation is an equity and participation issue: low stipends can limit who can serve in elected office. Several other councilors said the present fiscal constraints and timing made a public charter question inappropriate now and recommended a citizen committee or more staff research first. Councilor Groves cast the lone vote against directing additional research; the motion passed 7-1.
The motion called for staff to return with additional information on comparables, options for citizen review, and scheduling for further council deliberation. Staff clarified that preparing additional research and returning with options would not, by itself, guarantee the amendment could meet the timeline for a May 26, 2026 ballot referral; if the council later chose to refer a charter amendment, a separate, time-sensitive resolution would be required.
