Salina city commissioners on Monday agreed to amend a raise in their salary and have the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) regarding cost of living dictate the raise, equal to city employees.

City commission discussed a “charter ordinance” that was to be taken place in order to execute the raise in the commissioners and mayor salaries. The salary for commissioner would go from $300.00 to $600.oo per month and for the mayor it would be from $300.00 to $1000.00 per month.

By definition, a charter ordinance is a local law that exempts a city from a portion or all of a legislative enactment. This allows the commissioners to budget and set their desired salaries for themselves. Along with the charter ordinance was an ordinance that would adjust the annual cost of living to the compensation of the commissioners and mayor. The (CPI-U) would match the percentage of the cost of living adjustment.

However, city commissioners and Mayor Bill Longbine voted to accept the ordinance that no cost of living adjustment would be made for them only. They agreed if the city employees would not receive an adjustment, then they would not accept it just for themselves. Commissioner Mike Hoppock says it would not be fair for the (CPI-U) to justify commissioners benefiting more than city employees in the cost of living adjustment.

 

Commissioner Dr. Trent Davis commented about how it seems to be a “conflict of interest” if they were to follow through with the adjustment. Assistant city manager Shawn Henessee says he thinks it would not because they have authority to set the budget.

 

Commission voted to pass the charter ordinance for salary raise and have the annual cost of living adjustment for the compensation of city commissioners, mayor and employees equal together.