The Taylor City Council will hold the two required public hearings on increasing their pay in consecutive fashion.
At the July 27 meeting, council members voted 3-2 to increase their own stipends from $25 to $1,000 per month and to $1,500 per month for the mayor’s position. Council compensation comes out of the general fund portion of the budget. The two discerning votes were councilmen Dwayne Ariola and Mitch Drummond.
On Thursday, Aug. 17, the council will host a first special called city council meeting to introduce the ordinance at 5:30 p.m. and host a second special called city council meeting to consider the ordinance at 6 p.m.
Ariola said he thought having two back-to-back hearings, instead of doing the two readings at the Aug. 10 and Aug. 24 regular city council meetings respectively, was an unusual move.
“The excuse is so that citizens will have more opportunity to talk,” Ariola said. “So, I am sure there is going to be a plethora of people wanting to talk in disagreement with their decision.”
The council’s vote to increase their own pay last month came despite a council appointed compensation committee recommending a lower raise of $250 per month for each position.
Additionally, the adhoc committee recommended an incremental installation of the stipend raises to take place over the next couple of election cycles. Instead, the council opted for it to begin Oct. 1.
The ad-hoc committee was formed in large part due to a previously failed council compensation raise attempt last November. Then, the council voted 3-2 against a proposal to increase their compensation to $1,200 and to $1,500 per month for the mayor, and they appointed a five-member adhoc compensation committee to study the issue, which met twice over the summer.
Ad-Hoc Committee Chair Jose Orta, who was appointed by Mayor Brandt Rydell, said the committee examined many factors in making its recommendations, including council compensation in other area cities, as well as citizen feedback through surveys, and other data provided by Deputy City Manager Jeff Jenkins.
“We all don’t agree, but it was a compromise from the committee,” Orta said at the July 27 meeting. “There was a huge discussion and concern that you all ran for election knowing that you were going to get $12.50 per meeting.”
The council typically meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month at City Hall.
A description of the ad-hoc council compensation committee was part of the presentation given to the council.
Screenshots of June 8, Taylor City Council meeting
