Brighton council adopts flat stipends for elected officials, approves reappointment to election commission

The Brighton Officers' Compensation Commission presented recommendations to replace attendance-based pay with a flat annual stipend structure intended to simplify administration and better reflect the service required for elected and appointed positions.

Commission chair Christina Quinn and Commissioner Tim Moore told the council the commission sought sustainability, transparency and fiscal responsibility. They recommended a flat annual stipend paid yearly and proposed specific amounts: mayor $5,000; city council members $3,000; planning commission $1,200; board of review $1,200; zoning board of appeals $700; and election commission $350. The commission said the change would reduce administrative burden, reflect community values around service and make compensation easier to understand.

Council members praised the work, noting that clearer, modest stipends could broaden the applicant pool for boards and commissions and reduce staff time spent calculating attendance-based payments. Council members asked about comparisons to neighboring jurisdictions, whether stipends would reduce attendance, and whether a council member could decline pay for an additional commission role; staff said they would confer with the city attorney about the mechanism for donating or declining compensation if a member chooses to do so.

Council member Albert moved to accept the commission's recommendations for boards and commissions and amended the motion to include all necessary budget amendments; the motion was seconded and the council voted to approve the change. No roll-call vote with member names was recorded in the transcript; the mayor announced the motion passed after those present voiced 'Aye'.

Separately, the council agreed to reappoint Michelle Petrick to the Brighton City Election Commission after Clerk Brown reported she had sought reappointment; a motion to reappoint carried unanimously by voice vote as recorded in the meeting transcript.

The council did not adopt ordinance changes at this time related to the compensation recommendations; staff will implement necessary budget amendments and follow up on any legal questions about optional donation or refusal of compensation.