Kalispell council debates modest pay increase to widen candidate pool; no motion made

Council members discussed whether to raise annual stipends for councilors and the mayor during the May 11 work session, with proponents saying modest increases would reduce financial barriers to running and opponents cautioning about politicizing a service role.

Councillor Jed Fischer said he supported a mid‑level adjustment to help potential candidates afford the time commitment, noting at least one longtime member had not seen pay change for decades. “There’s a cost to that to people,” he said, and proposed a modest increase—illustrating that a $2,500–$3,000 annual bump was in the range previously discussed.

Other councilors agreed that compensation should keep pace with inflation and suggested implementing a small annual cost‑of‑living adjustment with a cap (3%–4%) to prevent large swings. Several members favored delaying any change to apply only to future councils to avoid the perception of voting themselves raises.

Councillor D and others argued against a pay increase on principle, saying the role is public service and raises could create incentives at odds with civic motives. Members also noted a procedural effect: local filing fees for candidates are tied to office pay, so a higher stipend could increase campaign costs for challengers.

No motion was introduced at the session. Staff requested guidance and said any change could be accommodated within the proposed preliminary budget without a required cut to other programs, given current reserve projections.

What’s next: Council asked staff to include options and fiscal impacts as the budget process continues; any compensation change would require a formal council decision prior to adoption of final budget documents if council chooses to act.