The Clearwater City Council Monday amended the city code to change the way elected officials are paid.
In August during a meeting on the 2019 budget, members of the council discussed the possibility of increasing compensation for the mayor and members of the council.
Councilman Kris Crandall said there hadn’t been an increase during the 12 years he was on the council.
Council members receive $1,500 a year, $35 per meeting and a $20 monthly cell phone stipend. The mayor gets $3,000 a year, $45 per meeting and a $40 cell phone allowance.
At that meeting, they talked about a possible 50% increase, changing the rate per meeting or eliminating the cell phone stipend. The council instructed Administrator Kevin Kress to put together some numbers and bring it back for discussion.
Monday, Kress presented different options that included the changes the council had discussed before. After a 15-minute discussion, members of the council agreed to the following changes: the mayor’s annual salary drops from $3,000 to $2,400 and the rate increases from $45 to $125 for council meetings and any additional meetings where attendance is directed by the council, as long as they are not held immediately prior to a regular meeting.
Council members’ annual salary drops from $1,500 to $1,200 and the rate increases from $35 to $100 for each council meeting and required meetings.
Both the mayor and council members receive $50 for appearing at city events and $20 per month for a cell phone stipend.
Based on 12 council meetings, 12 workshops and six city events, the mayor’s annual compensation would be $5,940. Council members would receive $4,140.
Maintenance Worker
The council agreed to allow Kress and Public Works Supervisor John Schmidt the discretion to interview and hire a new maintenance worker to replace Robbie Kottke, who has accepted a position elsewhere.
Kress asked the council to approve an adjustment to the step wage scale for the position to be more competitive with other cities. He and Schmidt will decide which step to start the new worker based on experience and qualifications.
He said the city will also be needing a fourth maintenance worker because of increased duties for the upcoming road project and utility projects and major park improvements. The council gave him the authority to begin looking for that worker for next spring.
In other acton the council passed a resolution adopting a lien for unpaid utility charges for 31 properties.
