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Council debates elected-officials vehicle stipend and clerk-treasurer requests; action tabled to Nov. 10
Summary
Councilors debated removing vehicle stipends for two elected employees and adding PERF retirement contributions for elected officials. The Clerk Treasurer requested a $707 salary adjustment to remain 'whole' if a $5,000 car stipend is removed. Mayor described a change in the city's fleet policy and said take-home vehicles now report personal-mile
Councilors debated an elected-officials salary ordinance (Ordinance 25-64) that would remove certain vehicle stipends, add PERF retirement contributions for elected officials and set elected-official stipends. The item generated a substantive discussion and was tabled until the Nov. 10 meeting.
Clerk Treasurer (identified in the meeting as Marla) addressed the council and explained that the $5,000 annual car stipend had been used "in lieu of fleet vehicles" and said the stipend arrangement simplified tax and mileage tracking. She requested an additional $707 be added to her 2026 salary to make her "whole" if the stipend is removed; she said the adjustment combined with the opportunity to earn a $1,000 educational stipend (for a certified municipal clerk credential) would preserve her 2025 total compensation in 2026.
Mayor Scott Willis described city efforts to reduce the number of take-home cars and to ensure employees pay taxes on personal vehicle mileage; he said the administration reduced take-home vehicle assignments, began tracking miles with an app and would be comfortable eliminating the stipends for the two employees in question while maintaining a reimbursement program if that is the council’s will. Mayor Willis said some positions still require take-home vehicles because of after-hours dispatching and that the city is trying to avoid duplicative infrastructure and costs.
Councilors asked timing and posting questions about amended documents and emphasized that future agenda materials should be finalized earlier in the week so members have adequate review time. The council voted to table action on the elected-officials ordinance and requested additional information be brought back at the Nov. 10 meeting.
Why it matters: Changes to elected-official compensation and vehicle policies affect individual officials’ pay and taxable reporting, and the council’s final decision will change how certain transportation costs are handled (stipend vs. mileage reimbursement). The clerk-treasurer publicly requested a modest salary adjustment to avoid a net pay reduction if stipends are removed.
