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Council discusses creating salary commission to review elected-official pay
Summary
Staff proposed establishing a salary commission to review council and mayor compensation under state law. Council members debated residency of commissioners, inclusion of the mayor, number of commissioners, budget impacts and public perception.
Staff presented a sample ordinance and recommended establishing a salary commission to conduct an arm's-length review of elected-official compensation, citing RCW authority and sample language from MRSC and Lake Forest Park.
"RCW 3 5.21 0.015 authorizes the creation of a salary commission to set and review compensation for local elected officials," staff said while outlining the sample ordinance and noting that salary commissions can implement increases during a term, though decreases cannot take effect until after an official's term per state constitution guidance.
Council members asked whether commissioners should be Milton residents and whether the mayor would be included. Several members supported a residency requirement; Council member McNally Martinez specifically urged requiring commissioners be city residents. Concerns included optics about raising council pay when many volunteer boards remain uncompensated and how any commission decision would automatically flow into the budget through indirect cost allocations. Staff confirmed a referendum window exists: residents would have 30 days to file for referendum if they opposed an adopted change.
There was no final action; staff will refine the sample ordinance and add residency language and other clarifications based on council feedback.
