Council says no payment necessary
Stacy Barnes
City Council gridlocked Tuesday over a measure that could have potentially allowed the volunteer members to either be paid a small fee or deduct city related expenses from their income taxes.
The agenda item was proposed by outgoing City Council member Wendy Wilkerson whose term expires in May. She said she felt the measure might make the positions more appealing to others.
“If people are not going to have to operate at a loss or spend a lot of money to be a Council person perhaps it would make it a little more attractive,” she said. “A thinking person would do the numbers. It’s not a very smart thing financially. I’ve spent thousands of dollars in legal fees since I’ve held the position through no fault of my own.”
If the measure had passed, an ordinance or resolution would have been drafted and put to a vote of the people. Mustang voters weighed in on the issue once before on June 14, 1994. The proposition then would have allowed the Mayor to be paid a fee not to exceed $500 per month and other Council members a fee not to exceed $100 per month. The issue was voted down 232 to 41.
Ward 3 Councilman Scott Gibson said things have changed in the past 12 years and he thought the city should revisit the issue.
“The town is totally different than it was in 1994,” he said, pointing out that other municipalities pay their council members varying compensation and some allow tax write offs in lieu of money.
Wilkerson said she did not think there should be a distinction between the amount of compensation the Mayor received as opposed to other Council members since they are all part of the same entity. She proposed $25 per meeting for every sitting member and that any compensation not take effect until the member’s next term.
“I’m asking for a gradual introduction and for it not to take effect until the next term a Council member is elected to so it is not something that is done for those currently sitting on the Council,” said Wilkerson.
The motion failed due to a 3-3 tie with Wilkerson, Gibson and Kathleen Moon, voting for; and Keith Bryan, Joe Conner and Len Scott against. Mayor Chad McDowell who usually casts the tie-breaking vote in these cases did not attend the meeting.
Stacy Barnes
City Council gridlocked Tuesday over a measure that could have potentially allowed the volunteer members to either be paid a small fee or deduct city related expenses from their income taxes.
The agenda item was proposed by outgoing City Council member Wendy Wilkerson whose term expires in May. She said she felt the measure might make the positions more appealing to others.
“If people are not going to have to operate at a loss or spend a lot of money to be a Council person perhaps it would make it a little more attractive,” she said. “A thinking person would do the numbers. It’s not a very smart thing financially. I’ve spent thousands of dollars in legal fees since I’ve held the position through no fault of my own.”
If the measure had passed, an ordinance or resolution would have been drafted and put to a vote of the people. Mustang voters weighed in on the issue once before on June 14, 1994. The proposition then would have allowed the Mayor to be paid a fee not to exceed $500 per month and other Council members a fee not to exceed $100 per month. The issue was voted down 232 to 41.
Ward 3 Councilman Scott Gibson said things have changed in the past 12 years and he thought the city should revisit the issue.
“The town is totally different than it was in 1994,” he said, pointing out that other municipalities pay their council members varying compensation and some allow tax write offs in lieu of money.
Wilkerson said she did not think there should be a distinction between the amount of compensation the Mayor received as opposed to other Council members since they are all part of the same entity. She proposed $25 per meeting for every sitting member and that any compensation not take effect until the member’s next term.
“I’m asking for a gradual introduction and for it not to take effect until the next term a Council member is elected to so it is not something that is done for those currently sitting on the Council,” said Wilkerson.
The motion failed due to a 3-3 tie with Wilkerson, Gibson and Kathleen Moon, voting for; and Keith Bryan, Joe Conner and Len Scott against. Mayor Chad McDowell who usually casts the tie-breaking vote in these cases did not attend the meeting.
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