Mukilteo debates pay raise for mayor

Published 2:50 pm Thursday, December 16, 2010

MUKILTEO — Should Mayor Joe Marine get a $46,090 pay hike in 2010?

That’s a question the City Council will consider tonight as it reviews a salary advisory committee recommendation to increase pay for the mayor and council.

Councilman Kevin Stoltz said he’s leaning against the committee’s recommendation to raise Marine’s pay to $76,090 a year from $30,000. He said he’ll also likely vote against a recommendation to raise council pay $1,200 annually — to $7,200 from $6,000.

“I just don’t think it sends a good message in this economy right now,” he said.

Mukilteo traditionally has had a part-time mayor and council, though Marine said he works a full-time schedule.

“I’ve put in over 60 hours a week for the last three years because I believe in what we’re doing and I believe that’s what needs to be done for the job,” Marine said Wednesday. “We either adjust it or I’m really going to have to cut back.”

Voters in November reelected Marine to a second term.

State law lays out the broad duties for mayors but doesn’t specify how many hours a week they’re expected to work or how much they should be paid.

In addition to serving as mayor, Marine serves on the Sound Transit Board of Directors, the Community Transit Board and the Snohomish County Association of Cities and Towns.

“The key for us is to separate the person from the position,” said Council President Randy Lord, echoing sentiments expressed in the committee’s salary report. “Mayor Marine is doing, I think, an outstanding job, but we don’t know about the person who comes after him.”

The seven person committee compared compensation for mayors, city administrators and council members at nine area cities, including Edmonds, Arlington and Monroe.

Its analysis showed Mukilteo ranked eighth in council pay, ahead of Arlington and Monroe, which pay council members $4,800 a year.

Marine’s $30,000 salary trails all cities studied except Arlington, which pays its mayor $18,000 annually.

In a budget-cutting move, the Mukilteo council earlier this year eliminated the $10 hourly wage paid to the city’s 15 reserve firefighters.

Stoltz said it makes no sense to cut reserve firefighter compensation while giving elected city officials raises.

Other council members said the mayor deserves a pay increase, though they didn’t commit to the salary committee’s recommendation.

“I do feel the mayor is underpaid,” said councilwoman Linda Grafer.

Councilwoman Jennifer Gregerson agreed Marine’s pay should be higher and noted that the council is prohibited from taking any pay increase until after the next election.

“The current salary is certainly not enough to successfully live in Mukilteo,” she said. “It’s a difficult time to be looking at it but, in a lot of ways, there’s never a good time.”

Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com.