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Newport committee weighs stipends, health benefits and noncash options to boost council diversity and recruitment
Summary
City staff reviewed Oregon comparisons and committee members discussed stipends, health benefits, facility use and scheduling changes as ways to reduce barriers to serving on Newport’s city council. No formal recommendation or vote was taken; staff was asked to return with legal guidance, budget scenarios and additional research.
Ally, a city staff member presenting research for the Newport City Council Compensation Committee, told members she reviewed the League of Oregon Cities’ elected-officials compensation survey and several individual city packages to inform discussion.
“There truly isn’t one cookie-cutter methodology or one size-fit-all compensation strategy for Oregon cities,” Ally said, listing common items such as stipends, travel reimbursements, recreation or facility use, and technology (cell phones, laptops).
Committee members focused on three broad categories of compensation the research suggested: direct pay (stipends/salaries), substantial benefits (notably health insurance), and reimbursement or in-kind benefits that defray costs of service. Mark Colson, a committee member, summarized the group’s takeaway: “There are kind of three buckets...getting paid to be a city councilor, health insurance, and compensation for actual costs like travel or devices.”
Members discussed examples from other Oregon cities the presentation cited. The League dataset (responded to by 84…
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