04/06/2007: "Will Council Ask For More Pay?"

Even before the Charter form of government was approved, the CC (County Council) expressed their unhappiness over the possibility they would receive a substantial pay-cut if the voters decided to pass the Charter. The reason for the potential loss of income was directly related to a requirement in the Charter, that the County would hire a professional county administrator, to manage the county.

It was generally believed -correctly as it turned out- that, since the County Administrator would be running the county, and the Council would meet to set policy and legislate, the San Juan County Salary Commission (SC) would reduce the future salaries of the CC.

And that is what happened. The pay scale for incoming council members was reduced from the $68,067.39 that council members Lichter, Myhr and Ranker receive until their terms come to an end, to $31,938.00; which is the amount all of them will receive in the future. With the exception of personal taxes that everyone pays, the nearly $40,000 salary was all “take-home”, since all of the other expenses of being a council member are taken care of by the County; such as office space, phone and staff support expenses, and a travel allowance, which is set and approved by the council members, and has become a topic of discussion for the Council.

Pay and travel have been an issue even before the Charter was passed, and after, with Ranker’s requests for an increase in his travel allocation, either directly, or by putting all of the travel money “in a pot”, that can be drawn from as needed and approved, to pay for trips to Olympia, and other places that may be of benefit to the County to have a Council member in attendance.

While Ranker’s requests generated some dialog on the issue (and a column by John Evans on the subject), the topic has not gone away. While newly elected Councilman Rosenfeld has not expressed the same interest in travel that Ranker enjoys, he has in the past suggested that perhaps individual council members could be given "a generous per-diem (related story) to make if more “worthwhile for them to travel to Olympia if it is to conduct County business”.

The issue of council pay was raised again by Rosenfeld at a recent Monday morning staff meeting, when he suggested that the Council look at the possibility of “salary incentives for going to Olympia add serving on committees”.

While Rosenfeld does not sit on any state committees, Ranker has volunteered to serve on a number of boards and committees, both public and private, and is frequently in Olympia.

Councilman Knapp seemed puzzled by Rosenfeld statement, and asked if he was suggesting the salary levels be increased. Rosenfeld said he was not clear on how it could be done, but was interested in an increase, and explained “I just think the Council should take a look at it”.

Councilman Rich Peterson -also newly elected- told Rosenfeld that the whole “’part-time vs. whole-time’ is an invented definition' of our job.. we were elected to do our job, and if we need to go down to Olympia, that is part of what I am paid to do”.

He also asked “How would we decide who gets it (the money)…it is not necessary for all of us to go down there”. Rosenfeld responded that “I am not retired like you guys. I want to be compensated to go there”.

Both Knapp and Rosenfeld expressed concern that the current pay scale may not be adequate to attract working members of the public to run for office, so additional compensation may be appropriate.

Peterson wondered how that would work when candidates were running for office, “would one of them say ‘If you elect me, I will not ask for compensation’, or ‘If I am elected I would expect additional compensated to spend time elsewhere’?”.

Knapp (who as an elected member of the Freeholders helped write the Charter) said “only the Salary Commission can change the salary level”. This led to a discussion on how the process would work, and Knapp said the regulations do allow the Commission to meet and make changes if they believe it is justified, and if so, an increase would become effective as soon as they filed it -but a decrease, would only apply to future council members.

The topic was not raised at the following Tuesday regular scheduled Council meeting, and has not been included in the official list of priorities -or the list of topics- the Council has put together to guide them as they work on policies and legislation.

Ranker and Lichter were both absent from the Monday and Tuesday meetings. They were attending meetings elsewhere.