Erlanger council caucus debates mayor pay increase, holds straw polls but takes no formal vote

Councilman Hermes proposed increasing Erlanger's mayoral salary from $15,000 to $27,000, saying the change would reallocate funds from eliminated council seats and help attract candidates with executive experience.

Hermes, who presented a PowerPoint summary of regional comparisons, said he had filtered Kentucky League of Cities and area development district data for cities with similar staff structures and populations and that the median salary in his sample was "almost exactly $27,000." "What I'm proposing is a $12,000 a year increase to make the salary $27,000 per year," he said.

Why it matters: the council must consider both data quality and timing. Several members said the spreadsheet Hermes circulated relied on outdated or incorrect entries for Erlanger and recommended collecting updated area development district surveys and verifying local figures before moving to an ordinance. The Recorder told the caucus she had asked for the underlying data before the first reading and described the document as using 2022 numbers and containing errors for Erlanger. "I don't oppose a slight increase. I'm just not sure 12 is the number we need to be at," the Recorder said, urging more up-to-date, validated comparisons.

Debate over role and timing: some council members emphasized that Erlanger's government was designed for a part-time mayor supported by a larger executive staff and said raises should be merit-based. One council member said the city's structure 'with a city administrator, assistant city administrator and a director of public safety'meant the position was not intended to be full-time. "I don't think with the amount of staff that we have at the top level that is justified," the council member said. Hermes replied that mayoral pay typically rises as more executive staff report to the mayor and framed a $27,000 salary as an incremental step toward being prepared if the city needs a full-time mayor in the future.

Procedure and next steps: Hermes asked whether the council wanted a straw poll or to wait for more data. He noted that an ordinance requires two readings and that any approved increase would not take effect until after the next municipal election. The caucus took nonbinding straw polls on two figures: $27,000 (Hermes' proposed number) and an alternative $22,000. The transcript records hands were raised for each figure but does not record named vote counts.

Outcome: the caucus did not take a formal vote on an ordinance. A member moved to adjourn, the motion was seconded and "motion carried," ending the meeting without placing the mayoral pay ordinance on the agenda for final action.

What happens next: council members who asked for more data said they would request updated area development district surveys and spot-check the spreadsheet Hermes circulated. If council decides to proceed, the ordinance would require two readings and, if passed, would take effect after the subsequent election cycle.

Sources and context: Hermes cited Kentucky League of Cities and area development district data compiled in his spreadsheet; council members repeatedly raised concerns that the spreadsheet used 2022 figures and included incorrect local entries. Hermes said his approach reallocated money previously budgeted for three eliminated council seats to the mayor's salary; specific budget-line impacts and precise straw-poll counts were not recorded in the transcript.