"Where Olmsted County News Comes First"
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Sunday, May 19th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 5:36:49, May 15th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - Though I hated to see you reference Glenn Beck by name [Three Times ... [Read More]
- 11:42:07, May 10th 2013 - yenken - I feel very sorry for those who have commented do far, as when you stand fa ... [Read More]
- 12:10:25, Apr 26th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - Mr. "Cabtrom's" garbage-out[burst]--in response to Ms. Reisner's w ... [Read More]
- 9:51:50, Apr 24th 2013 - jeff pischke - To Jerry Grehl, the number to the fillmore county sheriffs office is 7 ... [Read More]
- 9:27:24, Apr 22nd 2013 - Cabtrom - Blah blah blah, garbage in garbage out! ... [Read More]
- 7:00:49, Apr 11th 2013 - Donald Pierce - Col. Stan Gudmundson hit most of the important nails squarly on the h ... [Read More]
- 12:44:54, Apr 4th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - My compliments to Ms. Hammer for giving us well-crafted "Rachel Rea ... [Read More]
- 5:09:06, Apr 3rd 2013 - truthiness - I see this is dated April 1. That explains it! ... [Read More]
- 12:04:33, Apr 3rd 2013 - Frank W. Hawthorne - Say WHAT?!? Stan's American-Pie [In SKY] is Falling--Not Again? ... [Read More]
- 12:40:21, Mar 29th 2013 - Jacob - It's a shame that so few people care about making their voices heard. If we ... [Read More]
28
Should the Vikings be able to use the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium?
Rochester City Council rejects own pay increase
Mon, Jan 14th, 2013
Posted in Rochester Government
Posted in Rochester Government
Comments
By a tie vote, the council chose not to accept a 1.75 percent increase in their salaries, which was recommended by city staff.
The increase would have been approximately a $335 per year increase on the 2012 salary of $19,097 for each council member, in a position which has increasingly become closer to a full time endeavor. The council president position comes with a salary of $24,403 and the salary for city mayor stands at $33,123.
“It’s very awkward, to say the least, to set your own salary,” said interim council president Randy Staver.
Council members argued two points, which were not entirely indicative of the way in which they ultimately voted. Council members Ed Hruska and Bruce Snyder argued that raising the rate of compensation would alter the spirit of public service in the elected positions. Snyder commented that by raising salaries they would “run the risk of creating career politicians.”
“It’s called public service for a reason,” said Hruska.
“I have a real issue with elected officials voting on their pay increases. It’s just something I don’t feel right about.”
However, others raised concern for the feasibility of attracting quality individuals to serve on the city council with the growing time commitments involved.
“Some of us are fortunate to work at companies where we’re salaried and have the ability to shift our schedule,” said council member Mark Bilderback. “That doesn’t open it up for everybody to practice government, to be a part of it and help make this community a better place. That’s a very difficult thing.”
Council member Michael Wojcik commented that if compensation doesn’t increase for council positions, the body “runs the risk of becoming too male, pale, and stale.”
“I want to make sure positions like this are accessible to people of all economic backgrounds,” he said.
The vote resulted in a 3-3 split decision, defeating the increase. Council members Randy Staver, Sandra Means, and Wojcik voted to adopt the increase, while Snyder, Hruska, and Bilderback voted to deny.
City staff will research commissions that other cities have created to set salaries for elected officials.
Interim council president Staver suggested that the city consider creating such a body during budget hearings last month. During an informal vote, Staver, Means, and Bilderback supported going forward with the idea, while Snyder, Hruska, and Wojcik did not see a need for it.
“It probably wasn’t the best time to bring up the issue,” said Staver, who said that the council plans to revisit the issue later this year.
The increase would have been approximately a $335 per year increase on the 2012 salary of $19,097 for each council member, in a position which has increasingly become closer to a full time endeavor. The council president position comes with a salary of $24,403 and the salary for city mayor stands at $33,123.
“It’s very awkward, to say the least, to set your own salary,” said interim council president Randy Staver.
Council members argued two points, which were not entirely indicative of the way in which they ultimately voted. Council members Ed Hruska and Bruce Snyder argued that raising the rate of compensation would alter the spirit of public service in the elected positions. Snyder commented that by raising salaries they would “run the risk of creating career politicians.”
“It’s called public service for a reason,” said Hruska.
“I have a real issue with elected officials voting on their pay increases. It’s just something I don’t feel right about.”
However, others raised concern for the feasibility of attracting quality individuals to serve on the city council with the growing time commitments involved.
“Some of us are fortunate to work at companies where we’re salaried and have the ability to shift our schedule,” said council member Mark Bilderback. “That doesn’t open it up for everybody to practice government, to be a part of it and help make this community a better place. That’s a very difficult thing.”
Council member Michael Wojcik commented that if compensation doesn’t increase for council positions, the body “runs the risk of becoming too male, pale, and stale.”
“I want to make sure positions like this are accessible to people of all economic backgrounds,” he said.
The vote resulted in a 3-3 split decision, defeating the increase. Council members Randy Staver, Sandra Means, and Wojcik voted to adopt the increase, while Snyder, Hruska, and Bilderback voted to deny.
City staff will research commissions that other cities have created to set salaries for elected officials.
Interim council president Staver suggested that the city consider creating such a body during budget hearings last month. During an informal vote, Staver, Means, and Bilderback supported going forward with the idea, while Snyder, Hruska, and Wojcik did not see a need for it.
“It probably wasn’t the best time to bring up the issue,” said Staver, who said that the council plans to revisit the issue later this year.
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