HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 04 01 AIS CCI CMO Springfield CCI Draft Council Reimbursment Survey AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 4/1/2014
Meeting Type: Work Session
Staff Contact/Dept.: Niel Laudati/CMO Staff Phone No: 541.726.3780
Estimated Time: 10 Minutes
Springfield Committee for Citizen Involvement
Council Goals: Provide Financially Responsible and
Innovative Government Services
ITEM TITLE: SURVEY REVIEW FOR CHARTER AMENDEMENT TO ALLOW FOR COUNCILOR COMPENSATION
ACTION
REQUESTED:
Obtain guidance from the Committee for Citizen Involvement (CCI) on moving
forward with a community survey to gauge interest in a charter amendment regarding potential Mayor and City Councilor Compensation.
ISSUE
STATEMENT:
The Springfield Mayor and Council are volunteers. The Springfield Charter states:
“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.” Amending the Charter to provide
compensation for the Mayor and Council requires a public vote affirming such an amendment.
ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1: Draft Survey
DISCUSSION/ FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
On March 4, 2014 the CCI discussed a City Council instruction to develop a strategy to obtain public opinion about Mayor/Council compensation for service as
an elected official of Springfield. At the conclusion of its meeting, the CCI appointed a subgroup of its membership and gave them the task of preparing a
draft online survey that would serve to gauge the community’s interest in moving
forward with a ballot measure to change the City Charter, allowing the Springield Mayor and Council to receive compensation. The subgroup met on March 17 and
produced Attachment 1, Draft Survey, for review.
In addition to evaluating the contents of the survey, the CCI is asked to discuss and
endorse options for moving forward, including: releasing the survey to all city boards and commissions via email, and to the community at-large via the city’s social media sites, websites and email lists.
Final Draft Council Compensation Survey: 04252014
Overview: The Springfield Mayor and Council are volunteers. The Springfield Charter states:
“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.” In Springfield; however, reimbursement for mileage, technology fees, etc. is available.
The Mayor and City Councilors typically spend 25-35 hours per week attending council
meetings, answering constituent emails and reviewing the materials prepared for each week’s
Council agenda. They are also asked to attend multiple city-related inter-governmental meetings
during the week and events on nights and weekends on behalf of the community. It has become
common practice for the Mayor and Councilors to use personal vacation time from their jobs in
order to attend events and meetings on behalf of the city.
Please answer the following brief survey questions:
1. Have you ever attended a Springfield City Council meeting? Yes/No
2. Have you ever contacted your City Councilor for service? Yes / No
3. Are you satisfied with the work done on our behalf by the Mayor and City Council?
Please chose a ranking on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the most satisfied.
4. Have you ever thought about running for City Council? Yes / No
5. If these positions were compensated would that make you more willing to run for City
Council? Yes / No
6. Prior to reading this survey summary, were you aware that the Mayor and Council
positions in Springfield were non-compensated, volunteer positions? Yes / No
7. The proposed compensation for Springfield is $500 per month for the mayor and $300
per month for each councilor. Do you think that amount is: 1. Too much 2. Too little 3.
About right
Background: Eugene voters amended that city’s charter in 2000 to allow monthly
pay for its elected councilors. The mayor and councilors are paid $1,815 and $1,210 a
month, respectively. Cottage Grove, Lane County’s third-largest city, doesn’t pay its
councilors. Lane County’s five commissioners are paid at least $6,191 monthly, plus
receive full county retirement and health care benefits. (Source Register Guard)
8. Would you support a Charter amendment in favor of council compensation? Yes / No
If this proposal is approved, the fiscal impact to the city is approximately $27,000 per
year. Additionally, it is recommended that reimbursement for mileage and other charges that
accrue to participation in city business continues as an added, compensable expense. In the
previous 10-year period Mayor/Councilor reimbursement has averaged $XX per year.
Attachment 1, Page 1 of 1