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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 05/24/2022 - COUNCIL COMPENSATION UPDATEDATE: STAFF: May 24, 2022 Teresa Roche, Human Resources Executive WORK SESSION ITEM City Council SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION Council Compensation Update. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY After reviewing the updated benchmark analysis on Council pay and benefits at their April 18 meeting, the Council Compensation Committee would like the full Council to review the data and determine if there is interest in a ballot initiative to change Charter Article II Section 3 which provides for an annual compensation adjustment for the Mayor and Council based on changes to the Consumer Price Index Urban (CPI -U). GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED 1. Do Councilmembers wish to consider a ballot measure for the November Municipal election asking voters to amend the Charter to modify Council pay? 2. If so, what are Councilmembers’ suggestions regarding a Council pay proposal for the voters to consider? BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Data on Council pay and benefits was collected in March 2022 from seven peer (Wilmington, NC, Naperville, IL, Asheville, NC, Greensboro NC, Oklahoma City, OK, Eugene, OR, Plano, TX) and six Front Range (Arvada, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Thornton, Loveland and Lakewood) cities. Several years have passed since there was a competitive benchmark study done. hrQ conducted the study at the direction of the Council Compensation committee. The findings revealed only two cities (one peer and one Front Range) have a lower compensation level for Mayor than Fort Collins. Four cities report a higher salary for the Mayor Pro Tem than other Council members; three of the cities are on the Front Range and only one peer city has this practice. Only two Front Ra nge cities have a lower compensation level for Council than Fort Collins. Fort Collins has the lowest compensation level for Council among the peer cities in the study. The City Charter provides for an annual compensation adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index Urban (CPI-U). There are other defined external factors that could be considered such as Cost of Living Index, Employment Cost Index and Area Median Income. The 1998 compensation was set at $750 per month for the Mayor and $500 per month for each Councilmember. With the annual adjustments, the 2022 pay amount is $1,339.50 per month for the Mayor and $892.67 per month for each Councilmember. This item will be updated to include the presentation. ATTACHMENTS 1. hrQ Compensation Benchmark Study (PDF) City of Fort Collins City Council Compensation Benchmark StudyApril 2022ATTACHMENT 1 •City Council Structure•Annual Compensation•Reimbursements/Allowances•Benefit Eligibility•Documentation of Council DutiesTopics2 •Data was collected in March 2022 via virtual meetings with City Human Resources employees, via email and online research.List of Cities in Benchmark StudyPeer Cities• Wilmington, NC• Naperville, IL• Asheville, NC• Greensboro, NC• Oklahoma City, OK• Eugene, OR•Plano, TXFront Range Cities• Arvada• Greeley• Colorado Springs•Thornton• Loveland• Lakewood3 Cost of Living Comparison Survey CitiesSource: US Census Bureau; smartasset.comTotal Taxes HousingFoodAsheville, NC 83,393 94,589 13.4% -8% 3% -19% -14%Eugene, OR 156,185 176,654 13.1% -2% 18% -13% -4%Greensboro, NC 269,666 299,035 10.9% -3% 3% -9% -11%Naperville, IL141,853 149,540 5.4% 7% 4% 14% -4%Oklahoma City, OK 579,999 681,054 17.4% 5% 2% -13% -12%Plano, TX 259,841 285,494 9.9% -4% -16% 0% -8%Wilmington, NC 106,476 115,451 8.4% 1% 3% 1% -8%Arvada 106,781 124,367 16.5% similar 0% 0% 0%Colorado Springs 420,691 479,257 13.9% -5% 0% -11% -3%Greeley 93,156 109,084 17.1% -6% 0% -14% -4%Lakewood 143,294 156,195 9.0% similar 0% 0% 0%Loveland 67,000 76,341 13.9% similar 0% 0% 0%Thornton 119,753 142,118 18.7% similar 0% 0% 0%Fort Collins 144,461 169,810 17.5%COL Compared to Fort Collins City2010 Population2020 Population% Change in Population4 Study Results5Confidential •City Council sizes range from 5 to 10 members, with 5 of the 14 cities in the study having 8 members; there is no correlation between a city’s population or area size to the number of Council members City Council Structure SummaryAll Elected from Ward or DistrictMix of Wards and At LargeAll Elected At LargeNumber of Cities644•None of the Front Range cities in the study have a City Council where all members are elected At Large•Research did not uncover processes used to determine Ward or District boundaries; ordinances may contain vague wording such as “equal populations”•Mayors are usually considered part of the City Council with the same voting rights as members; principal duties are to preside over City Council meetings and serve as the ceremonial head of the city•Mayor Pro Tem positions are selected from current Council members and fill in for the Mayor should they be unavailable•Most City Councils have staggered elections, with members serving 4-year terms •If term limits are stated, the limit was generally 2 terms•Mayors are also elected to 4-year terms 6 Council Structures – Peer Cities7City2020 PopulationArea in Square MilesCity Council StructureTerms NotesFort Collins169,810 57.2- Mayor- 6 Council Members, from Districts-Mayor: 2 year terms, limited to 3 terms- Council: 4-year staggered terms, limited to 2 terms Mayor presides over City Council meetings, ceremonial head of City; signs legal documents;Mayor Pro Tem: chosen from Council, 2-year term; Council is responsible for policy decisionsAsheville, NC94,589 45.6- Mayor- 6 Council Members-All At Large- 4-year staggered terms- Mayor on separate ballot- Mayor: Presides over City Council; ceremonial head; no veto power- Vice Mayor: Appointed by City Council- City Council: Determines the needs to be addressed and the degree of service to be provided by city governmentEugene, OR176,654 44.1- Mayor- 8 Council Members, All from 8 Wards- 4-year staggered terms- Mayor on separate ballot- Mayor: Has no vote except in case of tie; formal representative of City- City Council: Responsible for passing laws, setting community goals, adopting policy, and deciding which services the City will provide.Greensboro, NC299,035 129.0- Mayor- 8 Council Members, 3 At Large, 5 from Districts- 4-year terms- Mayor: Presides over City Council- Mayor Pro Tem: Selected from Council Members- City Council: Sets and directs policy regarding City government operations; executed by City ManagerNaperville, IL149,540 38.8- Mayor- 8 Council Members- All At Large-Approving City policies, ordinances and other regulations.- Responsible for matters dealing with employee salaries and benefits.Oklahoma City, OK681,054 606.3- Mayor- 8 Council Members, All from 8 Wards- 4-year terms- Mayor: Part of City Council- City Council: Develop City prioritiesPlano, TX285,494 71.7- Mayor- 7 Council Members-All At Large- 4-year terms- Term limited to 2 terms- Mayor: Part of City Council- City Council: District residency requirement for members in Places 1 through 4Wilmington, NC115,451 51.4- Mayor- 5 Council Members-All At Large-Mayor: 2-year term- Council: 4-year staggered terms- Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem: Part of City Council- Mayor Pro Tem: chosen from Council Council Structures – Front Range Cities8City2020 PopulationArea in Square MilesCity Council StructureTerms NotesFort Collins169,810 57.2- Mayor- 6 Council Members, from Districts-Mayor: 2 year terms, limited to 3 terms- Council: 4-year staggered terms, limited to 2 terms Mayor presides over City Council meetings, ceremonial head of City; signs legal documents;Mayor Pro Tem: chosen from Council, 2-year term; Council is responsible for policy decisionsArvada 124,402 38.8- Mayor- 5 Council Members; 4 from Districts, 1 At Large- Duties of Mayor and City Council members laid out in detailColorado Springs479,257 194.9- Full-time Mayor- 9 Council Members- 6 from equally populated districts, 3 At Large- 4-year terms- Term limited to 2 terms- Has had Strong Mayor structure since 2011- Mayor is Full-time elected positions, not part of City Council, has veto authority- City Council can override veto with 2/3 majorityGreeley109,084 48.8- Mayor- 6 City Council- 4 from Wards, 2 At Large- 4-year staggered terms - Mayor is part of City CouncilLakewood156,195 43.0- Mayor- 10 Council Members, 2 from each of 5 Wards- 4-year staggered terms - Mayor is part of City Council, no veto power- Mayor Pro Tem chosen annuallyLoveland76,341 34.4- Mayor- 8 Council Members, 2 from each of 4 Wards- No term limits- Mayor has same voting rights as other City Council Members- Mayor Pro Tem is elected by Council with same term as Mayor- City Council residency requirement of 1 year in Ward prior to electionThornton142,118 35.9- Mayor- 8 Council Members, 2 from each of 4 Wards- 4-year staggered terms - Mayor is part of City Council Annual Compensation - MayorAnnual Compensation - MayorMinimum Median MaximumPeer Cities$15,228$24,000$29,925Front Range Cities*$12,000$18,000$38,800All Cities*$12,000$24,000$38,800Fort Collins$16,074•Annual salaries for the Mayor’s role range from $12,000 to $38,800. The $38,800 is an outlier as it is $8,875 higher than the next highest mayor salary.•Only two cities (one peer and one Front Range) have a lower compensation level for Mayor than Fort Collins.*Data for Colorado Springs is not included as they have a Full-Time Mayor government structure.9 Mean Annual Compensation - Mayor•Compensation for the Mayor of Fort Collins falls below both the mean and median across all comparisons (Peer, Front Range, or All Cities).Annual Compensation – MayorMinimum Mean MaximumPeer Cities$15,228$24,035$29,925Front Range Cities*$12,000$22,160$38,880All Cities*$12,000$23,254$38,800Fort Collins$16,074*Data for Colorado Springs is not included as they have a Full-Time Mayor government structure. Annual Compensation – Mayor Pro Tem•4 Cities report a higher salary for the Mayor Pro Tem than other Council members; 3 of the cities are on the Front Range, only 1 peer city has this practice.•Compensation for Mayor Pro Tem of Fort Collins is the same as City Council. *Data for Colorado Springs is not included as they have a Full-Time Mayor government structure.9Annual Compensation – Mayor Pro TemMinimum Median MaximumPeer Cities$19,000Front Range Cities$9,600$15,000$21,000All Cities$9,600$17,000$21,000Fort CollinsSame as City Council: $10,712 Mean Annual Compensation – Mayor Pro Tem•Four cities are represented in the data, as most cities provide the same compensation for the Mayor Pro Tem as City Council.•Fort Collins does not have a different compensation level for Mayor Pro Tem.Annual Compensation – Mayor Pro TemMinimum Mean MaximumPeer Cities$19,000Front Range Cities$9,600$15,200$21,000All Cities$9,600$16,150$21,000Fort CollinsSame as City Council: $10,712 Annual Compensation – City CouncilMinimum Median MaximumPeer Cities$12,000$13,214$23,377Front Range Cities$6,250$12,500$18,000All Cities$6,250$13,000$23,377Fort Collins$10,712Annual Compensation – City Council•Annual salaries for the City Council members range from $6,250 to $23,377, with 13 of the 14 cities falling at or below $18,000.•Only two Front Range cities have a lower compensation level for City Council than Fort Collins.•Fort Collins has the lowest compensation level for City Council among the peer cities in the study.•City Council salaries are customarily set by ordinance. In order to adjust Council or the Mayor’s salary, City Council must approve by a vote, allowing the increase to be effective past the next election date.10•Two peer cities, within the ordinance regarding compensation, have allowed for annual increases using a defined inflation factor. Fort Collins also follows this practice. Mean Annual Compensation – City Council•Compensation for the Fort Collins City Council falls below both the mean and median across all comparisons (Peer, Front Range, or All Cities).Annual Compensation – City CouncilMinimum Mean MaximumPeer Cities$12,000$15,169$23,377Front Range Cities$6,250$11,984$18,000All Cities$6,250$13,699$23,377Fort Collins$10,712 •Expense reimbursements are defined within the City ordinances as “reasonable and necessary expenses”; limitations and rules for approval are generally included •3 of the 14 cities do not reimburse for expenses•Common reimbursements include:•Travel to Council-related conferences, meetings, classes•Mileage to attend events where they are representing the City•Cell phone, laptop and/or internet service allowances or provision•Meals during Council meetings•Office supplies•Association dues •Greensboro, NC was the only city reporting an annual car allowance for City Council members:•Mayor: $4,200 •Mayor Pro Tem: $3,600•City Council: $3,000Expense Reimbursements11 Eligible to ParticipateNot Eligible to ParticipateFort CollinsPeer Cities52Front Range Cities32 (1 Not Available)Benefit EligibilityHealth, Vision, Dental Insurance Participation•When City Council members are eligible to participate in the Health Insurance benefits provided to City employees, cities require the member to pay the full premium. In cities interviewed, it was reported as a “rare” event when Council members would participate.•Minimal other benefits are provided by the cities to the Council members:•Voluntary life insurance can be purchased in a few cities•Arvada, CO was the only city to report a provision that allows a Council member to participate in retirement, the supplemental 457 plan12 Mayor City Council•Signing legal instruments•Review and approve budgets•Represent city in local and regional meetings and events•Represent the city to the press•Approves Council members expenditures•Serves on boards and commissions•Review and approve budgets•Determine policy for City direction•Evaluate performance of City Manager, City Attorney and City Clerk•Attending council meetings and planning sessions•Attending strategic planning meetings•Participating in groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and grand openings•Attending community events•Participation in local, regional and national organizations•Hosting events within ward•Attending conferences away from CityDocumentationof Council DutiesMost often, the duties for the Mayor and City Council are briefly outlined in the City Charter. The descriptions generally state that the Mayor is the ceremonial head of the city and presides over Council meetings. City Councils are charged with setting the direction and policy of the City to be carried out by the City Manager and staff.However, several cities, have gone to the effort of expanding on those outlines and have listed specific duties, requirements and expectations of the roles in either job descriptions, a manual or a brochure.13 Thank YouBrian Wilkerson ybwilkerson@hrqinc.com y(303) 564-5686Julie Stanek yjulie@hrqinc.com y(970) 310-5582 Appendix – ICMA 2018 Municipal Form of Government Survey excerpts19Confidential ICMA 2018 Survey Results -Chief Elected OfficialSource: 2018 Municipal Form of Government Survey; ICMASurvey Highlights • The vast majority of chief elected official positions are part-time and receive an annual salary or stipend. • Local governments rarely place term limits on chief elected officials, but those that do most often limit those terms to two four-year terms. • Most chief elected officials may vote on all issues during council meetings. ICMA – Chief Elected OfficialSource: 2018 Municipal Form of Government Survey; ICMA ICMA – Chief Elected OfficialSource: 2018 Municipal Form of Government Survey; ICMA ICMA City CouncilCouncil Survey Highlights • Being a member of the council is rarely a full-time position. Over 90 percent of respondents indicated that their council member positions are all part-time. • Term limits on council positions are rare overall but are most commonly found in communities with 100,000 residents or more. • Less than one in five responding local governments have concurrent council terms. Few local governments put all council seats up for election in the same year.Source: 2018 Municipal Form of Government Survey; ICMA Survey Highlights •Local elected officials are nearly always paid a salary or stipend. •Chief elected officials (mayors or the council president) are paid an average of $16,837 per year. • Full-time mayors are paid an average of $61,723. •Part-time council members are paid an average of $5,244 per year. •Some local governments symbolically pay their elected officials $1 per year. This typically only happens among council-manager communities in which elected officials do not provide day-to-day administration. ICMA – Mayor/Council CompensationSource: 2018 Municipal Form of Government Survey; ICMA ICMA – Mayor/Council CompensationSource: 2018 Municipal Form of Government Survey; ICMA