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Riverton council directs staff to tie elected pay to staff COLA; holds council pay for one year
Summary
Councilors instructed staff to amend city code so elected officials receive the same annual percentage adjustments given to city employees, but agreed to hold council pay unchanged for the coming year while the mayor's pay is adjusted; staff will return with a formal code change on the consent agenda.
Riverton City Councilors directed staff to amend the city code so annual adjustments for elected officials follow the same percentage increases given to city employees, and agreed to hold council pay steady for the coming budget year while increasing the mayor’s pay this year.
City finance staffer Kevin presented the proposal, saying, “Instead of having it pegged to grade 20, we would simply have it follow what the staff receives every year through the budgetary process.” He said the goal is to avoid repeatedly reopening the topic by treating elected officials the same as other employees for merit and cost‑of‑living adjustments.
The issue dates to a 2019 code change that tied elected pay to a personnel grade that this year would have produced a near‑10% increase. Mayor Staggs recalled the earlier discussion and what motivated the 2019 decision, noting the mayor’s role requires substantial weekly hours: “I don’t think there’s been anything less than 20 or 30 hours a week for me in this role.”
Council members voiced mixed concerns about both fairness and political optics. Council member McKay said the mayor “does a lot more work than the council” and urged steps to bring mayoral and council compensation closer in line; other council members said they preferred to avoid large across‑the‑board increases that could make the positions more about the money than the service.
The council coalesced around staff’s recommendation with two clarifications: (1) keep the council base salary at its current level for the coming year and move future annual adjustments to match whatever percentage increase city employees receive; (2) allow the mayor’s salary to increase now to the amount shown in staff materials and thereafter apply annual employee adjustments. Kevin told the council staff will draft the code amendment and bring it back on the consent calendar.
Council members identified the current dollar amounts shown in the presentation: the mayoral salary at $49,598.58 and councilmember pay at $27,059.25. Staff said these figures will be reflected in the code amendment that returns to the council.
The council did not take a formal roll‑call vote in the work session; staff will prepare the ordinance/code change language and place it on an upcoming consent agenda so the action is recorded in the minutes.
