DATE:
September 20, 2022
TO:
Adam Politzer, Interim City Manager
FROM:
Sheri Hartz, City Clerk
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Amending Section 2-2.201 Of Article 2 Of Chapter 2 Of Title 2 Of The Emeryville Municipal Code To Increase City Council Member Salaries Recommendation
The City Council is asked to consider approval of the second reading and adoption of the above-entitled Ordinance amending Section 2-2.201 of Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Title 2 of the Emeryville Municipal Code, to raise the salaries of City Council Members. If adopted, the ordinance will go into effect as of January 1, 2023.
Background
At its September 6, 2022, regular City Council meeting, the City Council considered whether to approve an increase in City Council Member salaries. The staff report from that item is included as an Attachment to this report.
The salaries of the Council Members were last increased to one thousand, one hundred fifty-seven dollars and thirty-nine cents ($1,157.39) per month in January, 2017. (Ordinance 16-012). It should be noted that any amounts paid by the City toward retirement or medical/dental coverage will not be included for purposes of determining a Council Member’s base salary.
Section 36516 of the California Government Code establishes the maximum compensation levels for council members based on the population of the city. A City Council may increase their salary authorized in the statute by enacting an ordinance or amending an existing ordinance. Further, any increase in a Council Member’s monthly salary shall not exceed five percent (5%) for each calendar year from the operative date of the last salary adjustment – which in this instance is January, 2017.
Discussion
Based on the statute maximum of 5%, the City Council has the ability to increase Council Member salaries by up to 5% for each of the five intervening years since the last increase in 2017. This increase will be calculated as a simple equation of the percentage increase designated for each year and is not compounded.
Following the Council discussion at its September 6th meeting, the Council unanimously voted to increase Council Member salaries by 5% for each of the five years since the last increase in 2017.
As noted, pursuant to Government Code section 36516.5, the salary adjustment may only become effective upon the beginning of a new term of office of one or more of the members of the Council. The new term would commence upon certification of results following the November 8, 2022, election, for which there are two Council seats being contested. The salary will therefore go into effect on January 1, 2023.
Fiscal Impact
There is a fiscal impact from adopting this ordinance. The cost increase would be approximately $17,400.00 annually. These costs were not included when the current budget was adopted.
Staff Communication with the Public
The City Council discussed whether to bring this matter forward at its regular City Council meeting on July 19, 2022, and received public comment, and approved the first reading at its introduction on September 6, 2022.
PREPARED BY: Sheri Hartz, City Clerk
Approved and Forwarded to the
City Council of the City of Emeryville:
Adam Politzer, Interim City Manager
Attachments
Staff Report from September 6, 2022, City Council Meeting Draft Ordinance
California Government Code Section 36516
City Council Member Salary Adjustment
City Council Meeting | September 20, 2022
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM