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Waukesha council sets next mayor’s salary at $94,447 after close 7–6 vote; other elected-official pay decisions follow
Summary
After heated debate at its Oct. 21 meeting, the Waukesha City Common Council voted 7–6 to set the mayor’s salary at $94,447 for each year of the 2026–2029 term. The council also froze alderman pay at $7,000 per year, approved raises for the city attorney and municipal judge, and preserved benefits options.
The Waukesha City Common Council voted 7–6 on Oct. 21 to set the salary for the mayor for the 2026–2029 term at $94,447 per year, after more than an hour of debate about starting salaries, peer comparisons and whether a new mayor should begin at the current top rate.
City administrator Tony Brown outlined the proposal the Human Resources committee considered, recommending a 3.5% increase in the first year followed by 3% annual increases for the remaining years. "Mayor's salary would increase by 3 and a half percent for the first year and then be followed for the remaining term years of 2 through 4 by a 3% annual increase," Brown said during the presentation, noting peer comparisons and the difficulty of drawing direct equivalences across municipalities.
A range of alternatives were offered on the council floor. Alderman Rick Lemke argued for a lower starting point for a new mayor and urged restraint: "I think that's reasonable" to start the next mayor lower than the incumbent’s top rate, he said, adding that a new hire typically does not start at top pay. Another councilmember argued the mayor's role in Waukesha — overseeing an $80 million budget — warranted a competitive salary. After multiple competing motions, council members approved the plan to retain the current $94,447 salary for each year of the next term by a 7–6 roll-call vote.
The same meeting produced additional compensation actions. The council approved aldermanic compensation at $7,000 per year for the 2026–2029 term (13–1). The council also approved a multi‑year compensation schedule for the city attorney starting near $139,307.50 in year one with annual increases thereafter (motion passed 8–6). The municipal judge’s pay was approved at a schedule beginning at $40,000 in year one with 3% annual increases (motion passed 10–4); Judge Wimmer described a substantial increase in caseloads and court activity as the rationale for raising judicial compensation.
Supporters of higher pay said the moves were necessary to keep elected officials and key public‑safety positions competitive and to reflect increased workloads; critics said council members should be cautious with taxpayer dollars and that starting salaries could be stepped to reflect experience. Paul Mannion, referencing committee deliberations, urged consistency: "Consider the next three votes" before approving increases and to be mindful of aldermanic pay, he said during debate.
The salary actions are effective for the specified term dates laid out in each resolution; the mayoral salary, as set, will remain in effect for the full four‑year term unless changed by a future council. The Human Resources committee will return finalized ordinance/resolution language as part of the implementation process and staff indicated benefits options accompany some of the approved schedules.
Votes at a glance: the mayor salary resolution passed 7–6; aldermanic compensation passed 13–1; city attorney compensation passed 8–6; municipal judge compensation passed 10–4.
What’s next: the council’s votes establish salary schedules that apply to the upcoming terms identified in each resolution; staff will finalize any administrative details and notify affected offices.
