HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-02-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - COUNCILMEMBER COMPENSATION (2)AGENDA REPORT
Item to be presented
Mayor Carl Boyer
NEW BUSINESS
DATE: February 13, 1996
SUBJECT: COUNCILMEMBER COMPENSATION
DEPARTMENT: City Council
BACKGROUND
The City Councilmembers of the Santa Clarita City Council are compensated monthly by the
City for the hard work and long hours they contribute to the leadership of our local
government.
Due to the nature of the job of City Councilmember, these individuals make regular personal
financial sacrifices. This job often takes them away from their personal businesses which
results in considerable loss of income. The compensation they receive is less than the
compensation for any other City employee
The Government Code sets forth basic provisions which allow regular adjustments to City
Council compensation. The Santa Clarita City Councilmembers have not adopted a Council
compensation adjustment for over three (3) years.
At this time a Council compensation adjustment is proposed as follows:
Current Compensation Proposed Compensation(7/01/96)
$729.30/mo. $875.16/mo.
The Government Code requires that Council compensation adjustments be adopted by the
present Council, to be effective for future Councils. There is no mechanism for future
Councils to recoup, in later years, any permitted adjustments not allocated prior to a new
Council's term of office. This proposed adjustment presents a reasonable manner in which
to assure the fair and equitable compensation of Councilmembers of future City Councils.
RECOMMENDATION
Introduce, waive further reading and pass to second reading, Ordinance 96-11.
ATTACHMENTS
Background information memo
Ordinance No. 96-11 �2Q 7
�`-Agenda Item:
ORDINANCE NO. 96-11
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA
INCREASING COUNCILMEMBER SALARIES
PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 36516
WHEREAS, on February 11, 1988, the City of Santa Clarita adopted Ordinance No.
88-8 establishing a salary for members of the City Council of $600.00 per month, pursuant
to the schedule of salaries set forth in Government Code Section 36516; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 36516(c) provides for Councilmember salaries
to be increased by an amount equal to 5 percent for each calendar year from the operative
date of the last salary adjustment; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 36515.5 sets forth a prohibition against change
in compensation during the term of office except that adjustment of the compensation of all
members of a council serving staggered terms is permitted whenever one or more members
of such council becomes eligible for a salary increase by virtue of beginning a new term of
office.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council of the City of Santa
Clarita, California, does hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. The compensation for City Councilmembers shall be $875.16 per month.
Such compensation shall be payable on a monthly basis and in the same manner as salaries
are paid to other officers and employees of the City of Santa Clarita.
SECTION 2. Ordinance No. 91-28 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and shall
cause the same to be published in the manner prescribed by law.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a regular
meeting held on the day of 1996.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
I, Donna M. Grindev. City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that
the foregoing Ordinance No. 96-11 was regularly introduced and placed upon its first reading
at a regular meeting of the City Council on the _ day of , 1996. That thereafter,
said Ordinance was duly adopted and passed at a regular meeting of the City Council on the
day of , 1996, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS
City Clerk
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: George Caravalho, City Manager
FROM: Jenny Roney, Personnel Manage
DATE: January 22, 1996
SUBJECT: Councilmember Compensation Information
Previously, the City Council requested that information regarding the Government Code
provisions for adjusting Councilmember compensation be provided. The following is
a summary of these Government Code provisions:
Section 36516 of the Government Code sets forth the basic provision for the
compensation for the City Councilmembers and establishes a schedule, based upon
population of cities. Subsection(a)(4) provides:
"In cities over 75,000 up to and including 150,000 in population, up
to and including six hundred dollars ($600) per month."
Section 36516(c) provides for Councilmember compensation to be increased beyond the
amount provided in this section by an amount not to exceed the equivalent of five
percent (5%) for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment of
salary.
Section 36516.5 of the Government Code sets forth a prohibition against change in
compensation during the term of office as follows:
"A change in compensation does not apply to a councilman during
his term of office; however, the prohibition herein expressed shall
not prevent the adjustment of the compensation of all members of
a council serving staggered terms whenever one or more members
of such council becomes eligible for a salary increase by virtue of
beginning a new term."
Council Compensation
Page 2 of 3
Section 365161.1 provides for additional compensation for a mayor elected pursuant to
the Government Code. This additional compensation may be provided by an ordinance
adopted by the City Council or by a majority vote of the electors voting on the
proposition at a municipal election. Given the Mayor of Santa Clarita is not directly
elected, this is not an available option to the Council at this time.
Based on this information, it appears that the Council, at this time, could adopt an
ordinance providing for an increase that is equal to five percent (5%) for each of the
three (3) calendar years since the operative date of the last compensation adjustment.
This increase could become effective following the election of 1996, when one or more
of the members of the Council becomes eligible for a salary increase by virtue of their
beginning a new term of office. Such an adjustment would raise Council compensation
to $838.70 per month. If the operative date of such an increase was delayed until July
1, 1996 or later, the adjustment could include an additional five percent (5%) for the
calendar year 1996, bringing the total adjustment of compensation to $875.16 per month.
Since compensation adjustments must be adopted by the present Council to be effective
for the future Council following an election, and since the percentage limit is five percent
(5%) per year from the operative date of the last adjustment, there is no mechanism to
recoup in later years, any portion of adjustment not allocated with this current action or
any future action.
As always, I am available to further discuss this information with you at any time.
jroney/mc1comp,3/mac