Finance committee recommends $150-per-meeting stipend for Planning Commission, attendance required; vote 2-1

The Oxnard City Finance & Governance Committee on March 11 voted 2-1 to recommend that the City Council adopt a stipend for Planning Commission members of $150 per meeting attended, with payment contingent on attendance.

Ronald Arguello, chair of the Planning Commission, presented a resolution the commission passed on Aug. 15, 2024 (Resolution No. 2024-22), asking the city to amend municipal code to authorize compensation for planning commissioners. "Planning commissioners do not receive compensation for their time in attending meetings and is one of only two planning commissions that do not receive compensations in Ventura County," Arguello told the committee. He said the stipend is intended to improve retention and broaden the pool of applicants, and he recommended $150 per meeting as a reasonable, modest starting point.

During discussion, some committee members said the stipend would help recruit younger and working applicants who cannot volunteer without financial accommodation. Others raised concern about setting a precedent for paying volunteers. "I'm a big believer in volunteerism," said Councilmember Starks, who opposed the recommendation; "it just feels strange to pay somebody who's a volunteer." Chair McArthur supported a $150 starting stipend, saying the workload and preparatory reading for commissioners can be substantial.

Staff told the committee that most jurisdictions surveyed pay a per-meeting stipend and typically require attendance for payment. Committee members discussed logistics: the stipend recommendation assumes a typical limit of two meetings per month and would be subject to council review for funding source and any caps. A back-of-the-envelope estimate presented in committee materials showed a maximum annual cost of about $25,200 if seven commissioners each attended 24 meetings at $150 per meeting (7 x 24 x $150 = $25,200); staff noted cancellations and the practical limit of two meetings per month could reduce actual cost.

The committee recorded the vote as: Chair McArthur yes; Committee member Rodriguez aye; Committee member Star no. The motion passed 2-1. The committee recommended that staff draft ordinance language and funding options for Council consideration.