Pay hikes irk Everett council

Published 9:00 pm Monday, May 2, 2005

EVERETT- Three City Council members said they deserved a nearly 53 percent raise in their salaries, but in a decision that still stings, an independent salary commission has voted to give them only a cost-of-living increase.

The mayor, on the other hand, will get a 2.8 percent raise plus a cost-of-living increase next year and in 2007.

An upset City Councilman Arlan Hatloe, among those who sought the raise, called the independent salary commission dysfunctional. “I’m very disappointed in their process,” he said.

Hatloe, Mark Olson and Council President Marian Krell sought a salary equal to 25 percent of the mayor’s $126,290 annual salary.

If the salary commission agreed, councilmembers’ salaries would have gone from $20,675 a year to $31,572 – a nearly 53 percent increase.

Instead, the seven council members will receive their base salaries of $20,675 plus 90 percent of the Consumer Price Index – historically a 2 percent to 3 percent figure reflecting the rate of inflation – in 2006 and 2007.

The commission increased the wages of the mayor, seven council members and two municipal judges. The new salaries go into effect Jan. 1.

Hatloe said the council has not had an increase to its base pay since 1997 and has received only cost-of-living increases.

“We do every bit as much work as the mayor does,” Hatloe said. “We have an important function in moving the city forward. I don’t think the compensation is appropriate for the responsibility of the job.”

Krell, who is not seeking re-election this fall, said City Council members work “pretty nearly full-time.”

“At that rate, we’re making $9 an hour, and I get $11 because I’m (council) president,” Krell said. “We felt that was a poverty wage for the number of hours we put in.”

The council doesn’t just rubber stamp the mayor’s agenda, she said.

“If we want to get good people to run and keep the quality of the council high, we need to be paid something and valued enough to be paid a decent wage,” Krell said.

“Apparently the salary commission didn’t agree with that.”

The decision the independent salary commission made April 26 is final and requires no action by the council or mayor.

In an election year that’s a good thing, said Salary Commission Chairman Tom Lane, CEO of Dwayne Lane’s five auto centers.

“You don’t want to be on the front page of your paper saying, ‘I authorized myself a huge raise,’ in an election year,” Lane said.

Stephanson, Hatloe, Olson, two other council positions and the city’s two municipal judges are up for election this year.

“None of us are complaining about compensation,” Olson said. “The frustration with the salary commission was the refusal to acknowledge the significant growth of our responsibilities.

“I think there are others who may need the additional compensation, for whom that extra $10,000 is the difference between being able to serve and still pay your mortgage.”

The council’s current salary is about $9.50 an hour, or that of an incoming Wal-Mart employee, Olson said.

Lane said tying council salaries to the mayor’s salary wasn’t appropriate. “Different responsibilities and different jobs,” he said.

“No matter what anybody is compensated, somebody somewhere will have an opinion that they are underpaid or overpaid, it’s the nature of the beast,” Lane said. “I think the taxpayers are getting what they deserve: Council members who are somewhat compensated for their time.”

The commission deliberated for about five hours in five meetings, including two public hearings, Lane said.

In many cities, elected officials approve their own salary increases, but must stand election before receiving them.

A change to the Everett City Charter eight years ago created the city’s salary commission, which is required to meet every two years.

Former Mayor Frank Anderson asked in 2003 that no raise be given to his position, and the salary commission agreed, Lane said. Because of that, the mayor’s position got more of a bump this time, Lane said.

Stephanson said he trusted the judgment of the salary commission, and said council members don’t do the job for the money. “They go above and beyond,” he said.

Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.