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Council debates timing and structure of governing‑body pay increase
Summary
Council members revisited a prior vote to raise governing‑body compensation; concerns included Kansas cash‑basis law limits, whether raises can be phased and whether attendance requirements should apply. No change was enacted; a motion to rescind failed for lack of a proper procedure.
Council discussed governing‑body compensation during the Aug. 26 meeting after a prior vote on July 29 to increase pay. Council member Joe Cady said he wanted the increase phased (25% over four years) instead of implementing a 100% raise on Jan. 1, 2026, to reduce immediate budget impact (SEG 1030–1051).
City staff and the city attorney advised that Kansas cash‑basis law prevents binding future governing bodies to current year appropriations, and that council members cannot simply "rescind" a prior recorded vote in the minutes; instead, staff recommended making a new motion that sets future compensation effective on a specified date and budgeting for the phased approach in subsequent years (SEG 1103–1113, SEG 1190–1213).
A motion to rescind the July 29 action was made and then withdrawn when members acknowledged legal limits; an alternative motion to phase a raise lacked a second and died for lack of a second. Council did not adopt any change to the previously recorded compensation action during this meeting.
