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College Place salary commission organizes, reviews pay comparables and sets schedule
Summary
The newly formed College Place Salary Commission met April 1, elected a chair, reviewed current pay set in ordinance (mayor $1,500/month; council $375/month), examined AWC comparables and set meeting and filing deadlines ahead of a Sept. 1 draft and Sept. 30 completion requirement.
The College Place Salary Commission opened its first regular meeting April 1, organized its membership and set a timetable to review pay and benefits for the mayor and city council.
City Clerk Carolyn Holm called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. and confirmed two commissioners were present. A commissioner offered to serve as chair, a motion and second followed, and the commission approved the appointment.
The clerk summarized the commission’s statutory duties and the ordinance that created the panel, saying the body “shall review the salary and benefits provided to the College Place mayor and city council and make a recommendation of any increase, decrease or changes appropriate.” She read the current pay figures from the ordinance: “The mayor shall be paid the sum of $1,500 per month,” and “the council shall receive $375 per month.”
Commissioners discussed comparables drawn from an Association of Washington Cities (AWC) survey. One participant said they averaged two higher and two lower cities and calculated that “it brings it to about $419 and 40 cents a month” for the council when using that selective average, and noted any change would require further budget review.
The commission reviewed procedural deadlines set in the ordinance: it must file a written salary schedule with the city clerk and provide a draft to the city attorney by Sept. 1; the commission’s duties must be completed by Sept. 30 so recommended changes can be incorporated into the following year’s budget. The clerk told members the city attorney will review drafts for ambiguity or legality and that any approved salary changes would be incorporated into the city budget only after city council review and approval.
Members asked for more detailed benefit information and comparative benefit packages from peer cities; the clerk and Human Resources Manager Amber Brooker said they will provide benefits data and finance representation at the next meeting. The clerk also walked commissioners through BoardDocs and the municipal code so members can locate the current salary ordinance and historical updates online.
The commission agreed to continue meeting monthly and tentatively moved regular meetings to the third Wednesday at noon. The next meeting was scheduled for May 20; commissioners said they prefer to wait for the requested finance and benefits materials before beginning formal deliberations.
Procedural votes at the April 1 meeting included approval of the consent agenda and confirmation of the chair appointment; both motions passed as recorded in the meeting. With no further business, the commission adjourned at 12:33 p.m.
The commission’s next steps are to review the provided benefits and comparative data, prepare a draft salary schedule for submission to the city attorney by Sept. 1, and deliver a final recommendation by Sept. 30 for city council budget consideration.
