Live Oak council adopts monthly pay for mayor and council after debate, 4-1

The Live Oak City Council voted 4-1 on May 2025 to adopt an ordinance creating a monthly compensation schedule for elected officials, setting $300 a month for the mayor and $150 a month for each council member.

The ordinance will be implemented in two phases under the city charter: the mayor and council places 2 and 4 will be covered beginning in 2026, and council places 1, 3 and 5 will be covered beginning in May 2027, staff said during the meeting. City Secretary Suzanne Hildebrand told the council, “if this ordinance is approved, the date that will go into effect, are, for 2026… and May 2027 will be for city council places 1, 3, and 5 pursuant to our city charter.”

Supporters, including Mayor Pro Tem Bob Tollgren and Councilman Aaron Dahl, framed the change as a modest modernization aimed at reducing financial barriers to service. Tollgren argued that a small monthly stipend would help attract and retain qualified candidates who might otherwise be deterred by out-of-pocket campaign and service costs. He proposed the $300/$150 split and said it was “something that is easily budgeted.” Dahl said an equitable increase would encourage working professionals to run for council without penalizing them for time spent in office.

Dr. Aaron Perez, who seconded the final motion, said she supported the $300/$150 proposal while noting the city’s traditional fiscal conservatism. She said she appreciated the staff’s research and emphasized the council’s intent to be careful stewards of city finances.

Councilman Ed Simmick spoke against raising compensation. “I wanted to serve and I would serve for nothing,” he told the council, saying he did not support an increase. The motion nevertheless carried 4-1.

Mayor Mary Anne Dennis presided over the discussion and said she typically does not vote unless there is a tie. Staff confirmed the ordinance replaces the previous per-meeting payment system (currently $20 per regular meeting) with the monthly stipend.

The ordinance references the city charter’s compensation provisions (section 4.04) and requires administrative steps to implement the new payment schedule and budgeting for the amounts in the next fiscal cycles.

Council members said the new schedule removes administrative costs associated with tracking meeting attendance and issuing per-meeting checks, while supporters said the change helps make elected office accessible to broader parts of the community.

The council approved the ordinance on a 4-1 vote; the mayor did not cast a vote because no tie occurred. Implementation will follow the timing spelled out in the city charter and as summarized by staff during the meeting.