Council approves making assistant-to-clerk role full time amid debate over 34% pay increase

Councilors debated and then approved an ordinance to convert the assistant-to-the-council-clerk position to full time with a pay adjustment starting when the current clerk retires.

One council member said the requested 34% increase after roughly 11 months on the job was excessive and said he had polled clerks in similar municipalities who had substantially more experience. "If this goes through...this will be the highest paid clerk out of the 8 that I talked to," the councilor said, urging caution about precedent and private-sector comparability.

Supporters said the change is driven by an imminent retirement and additional duties that require full-time attention. "Starting at the end of January...the council clerk's retirement is a needed time to go full time, for all of the tasks that are required to do," one supporter said.

The ordinance was moved, seconded and adopted by roll-call vote as recorded in the meeting minutes. The motion included amendments to codified ordinances appointing Melanie Wood to the assistant position with an effective timeline tied to the clerk's retirement.

Council did not provide line-item financing details during the discussion; the finance director and clerk indicated the change would align with normal personnel and budget procedures and that staff would incorporate the adjustments into upcoming fiscal planning.