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Waukesha HR committee forwards mayor pay decision to full council after split vote
Summary
After extended debate over whether the mayoral role should be full time and how to benchmark pay, the Waukesha City HR Committee voted 3–2 to send a proposal to keep the mayor’s salary unchanged to the Common Council for final action.
The Waukesha City Human Resources Committee voted 3–2 to send to the full Common Council a motion keeping the mayor’s salary unchanged for the four‑year term beginning April 2026.
City Administrator Tony Brown told the committee the draft resolution would mirror the 2026 increase in the city’s fire contract (3.5%) and then apply 3% annual increases for the remainder of the term, a formula meant to keep the mayor’s pay competitive. “The recommendation is that we would mirror the increase in salary for 2026 to the fire contract, which is 3.5%,” Brown said, explaining how the model was constructed.
Alderman Lemke urged a different approach, arguing the mayor’s office could be structured so the role pays less and remains attractive to civic‑minded candidates. “I think this is the perfect opportunity to do it,” Lemke said, suggesting a two‑thirds salary (about $67,000) while keeping benefits so a mayor could decide how much time to devote to the job.
Other members objected to making changes immediately. Several aldermen said raising elected‑official pay shortly after the council approved a new garbage and recycling fee would be poor optics for residents. “It is terrible optics to pass on a fee to our residents and then turn around a week or two later and talk about increasing elected official salaries,” one member said, citing recent public feedback on a $160 fee.
The chair offered a motion to keep the mayor’s salary at the current rate for the upcoming term (no increase) and forward the resolution to the Common Council for full deliberation; the motion carried on a 3–2 vote. The committee recorded the motion as moving forward to council for final action.
What happens next: The item will appear on the Common Council agenda for final consideration. Committee members also asked staff to draft options for exploring a change in the mayoral role’s scope and compensation in future cycles so the council can consider part‑time or structural alternatives before the next election.
