Jackson council delays pay-philosophy decision, advances working-agreements resolution drafting

The Town of Jackson council on May 4 reviewed staff-updated working agreements and a scoping report on a council pay philosophy, then voted to continue the pay-philosophy discussion and direct staff to draft a resolution on the working agreements.

Dr. Scarlato, who presented the staff recommendations, said the updates mostly clarify language from the council’s January retreat, flagging new items in red and suggesting the council could adopt the agreements by resolution for greater accountability. He told council members the changes include clarifications about asking staff questions before meetings, sharing meeting time equitably and encouraging respect for staff time.

Councilor Hunter Schechter said he was not ready to approve edits on the fly and asked that both items be continued so he could confer with colleagues. “I would like to continue both, so that I could talk to Susan and talk to my colleagues about some thoughts I had,” Schechter said.

Councilor Beeman said she was comfortable moving the working agreements forward to a resolution but preferred continuing the pay-philosophy work to allow staff to bring comparative salary data from other mountain towns and from the county. “If we’re going to do this, I want us to really follow them,” Beeman said.

Councilors discussed process distinctions between tabling and continuance; Town Attorney Leah Colasmano advised that the body normally moves to continue items to a future meeting rather than tabling them. Council voted unanimously to continue the pay-philosophy discussion to a future date and to continue drafting a resolution for the working agreements with an instruction that staff incorporate a statement on respecting staff time where appropriate.

The council did not adopt a final pay-philosophy at the meeting; staff will return with a date for further consideration and any requested comparators and clarifications.