HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 17 Council Compensation Ballot Title AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 7/21/2014
Meeting Type: Regular Meeting
Staff Contact/Dept.: Niel Laudati, CMO Staff Phone No: 541.726.3780
Estimated Time: 10 Minutes
S P R I N G F I E L D C I T Y C O U N C I L Council Goals: Provide Financially Responsible and
Innovative Government Services
ITEM TITLE: COUNCIL COMPENSATION BALLOT TITLE
ACTION REQUESTED:
Adopt/not adopt the following resolution: A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN
ELECTION ON PROPOSED REVISIONS TO SECTION 24 OF THE
SPRINGFIELD CITY CHARTER TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 4, 2014, AND SETTING FORTH A BALLOT TITLE.
ISSUE STATEMENT: Following several public meetings and work sessions by both Council and the Committee for Community Involvement (CCI), Council has asked staff to prepare a
resolution with ballot title for public hearing prior to any action for the placement
of this measure on the November 6th General Election ballot.
ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1: Resolution w/Ballot Title Attachment 2: Draft Charter Language for Council Compensation
DISCUSSION/
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
In 2013, a small sub-committee made up of members of the City Council, the City
Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Office met on several occasions to review the need for an update of the City Charter to allow for a reasonable monthly
compensation. After discussion and reviewing council compensation from across
the state, the sub-committee recommended a $300 per month stipend for each councilor and a $500 per month stipend for the Mayor. The issue was then
forwarded by the City Council to the Springfield CCI for review and direction.
After meeting, producing a survey and holding a public hearing, the CCI
recommended that the Council move forward in placing a Charter amendment regarding Council compensation on the ballot in November, 2014.
Draft ballot title and Charter language items are attached for discussion. The draft items contain the previously discussed amounts of $300 and $500 per month, respectively.
The financial impact for implementing this stipend at $300 and $500 would be $27,600 per fiscal year.
RESOLUTION NO. __________
A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN ELECTION ON PROPOSED REVISIONS TO
SECTION 24 OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY CHARTER TO BE HELD ON
NOVEMBER 4, 2014, AND SETTING FORTH A BALLOT TITLE.
BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Springfield, Oregon
as follows:
Section 1. Pursuant to Section 2.260 of the Springfield Municipal Code, there is
hereby submitted to the electors of the City of Springfield, Oregon, for their approval or
rejection on November 4, 2014, to be voted upon at an election held concurrently with
the Lane County general election an amendment to Section 24 of the Springfield City
Charter authorizing a monetary stipend for the Mayor and Councilors. The ballot title for
the Charter amendment is attached as Exhibit A (the “Ballot Title”). The proposed
amendment to Section 24 of the Springfield City Charter is as follows:
Charter Section 24. Stipend and Reimbursement for Mayor and Council.
“Beginning July 1, 2015, the Mayor shall receive a stipend of $500 per month and
the Councilors shall receive a stipend of $300 per month. At the beginning of each
fiscal year thereafter, the stipends authorized above shall be adjusted by a
percentage equal to that during the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price
Index (CPI) for the Portland, Oregon area, or its successor. If that index ceases to
exist, another consumer price index representing substantially the Springfield area
shall be used. In any case, if a consumer price index covering the Springfield area is
developed, that index shall be used in the place of the Portland CPI. The stipends
are in addition to, and not in lieu of, reimbursement for expenses the Mayor and
Council incur in serving the City. The Council may prescribe a plan providing for
such reimbursement.”
Section 2. SUBMISSION TO THE ELECTIONS OFFICER. Not later than the
61st day before November 04, 2014 the City Recorder, as the Chief Elections Officer of
the City, shall submit to the County Clerk for Lane County, Oregon a statement of the
Charter amendment measure together with a certified copy of this Resolution and the
Ballot Title, all in order that the local option tax measure may appear on the ballot for
the general election to be held on November 04, 2014. The City Recorder shall submit
to the County Clerk all necessary information, and shall do and perform all other acts
Attachment 1, Page 1 of 3
and things necessary or appropriate, so that the measure shall appear on the ballot for
such general election.
Section 3. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION. The City Manager, the City
Recorder and the City Finance Director and each of them acting individually, are hereby
authorized, empowered and directed, for an on behalf of the City, to do and perform all
acts and things necessary to appropriate to cause the Charter amendment to appear on
the ballot for November 04, 2014 general election and to otherwise carry out the
purposes and the intent of this Resolution.
Section 4. EFFECTIVENESS OF RESOLUTION. This Resolution shall take
effect immediately upon its adoption by the Common Council of the City.
ADOPTED by the Common Council of the City of Springfield this _______ day of July,
2014, with a vote of _______ for and _______ against.
______________________________
Christine L. Lundberg, Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________________
Amy Sowa, City Recorder
Attachment 1, Page 2 of 3
Exhibit A
Ballot Title for Council Stipend
Caption: Charter Amendment that allows for a Councilor and Mayor stipend.
Question: Should Springfield amend its Charter to allow the Councilors and Mayor to
receive a monthly monetary stipend for their service?
Summary: A yes vote amends the Charter to allow the Councilors and Mayor to
receive a monthly monetary stipend. The current charter provision
allowing for reimbursement for the expenses the Councilors and Mayor
incur in their service would remain. The proposed stipend amount for the
Mayor is $500 and $300 for the Councilors. The Charter Amendment will
specify that base amount and, also state that at the beginning of each
fiscal year thereafter, the stipends will be adjusted by a percentage equal
to that of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the previous calendar year
of the Portland, Oregon area. If that Index ceases to exist, another
consumer price index representing substantially the Springfield area shall
be used. If a CPI for the Springfield area is developed, that index shall
be used in the place of the Portland CPI.
Attachment 1, Page 3 of 3
Charter Language for Council/Mayor Stipend:
Current Charter Language:
Chapter VII Elective Officers and Personnel:
Section 24. Compensation for Mayor and Council.
No Councilor or Mayor may receive compensation for serving in that capacity.
The Council may prescribe a plan for reimbursing Mayor and City Council for expenses
they incur in serving the City.
Draft Language:
Section 24. Stipend and Reimbursement for Mayor and Council.
Beginning July 1, 2015, the Mayor shall receive a stipend of $500 per month and the
Councilors shall receive a stipend of $300 per month. At the beginning of each fiscal
year thereafter, the stipends authorized above shall be adjusted by a percentage equal
to that during the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the
Portland, Oregon area, or its successor. If that index ceases to exist, another consumer
price index representing substantially the Springfield area shall be used. In any case, if
a consumer price index covering the Springfield area is developed, that index shall be
used in the place of the Portland CPI. The stipends above are in addition to, and not in
lieu of, reimbursement for expenses the Mayor and Council incur in serving the City.
The Council may prescribe a plan for such reimbursement.
N:\City\COUNCIL\Policies and Procedures\Charter Language for Council Stipend.docx
Attachment 2