Bend’s mayor is paid just above the poverty level; tricky compensation issue returns
Councilors are now paid nearly $10K a year, the mayor twice that amount
(Update: Adding video, comments from Mayor Melanie Kebler and locals; KTVZ.COM Poll)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Bend city councilors on Wednesday evening will discuss creation of a new Council/Mayor Compensation Review Committee, to revisit the usually sticky issue of how much councilors and the mayor should be paid for their duties.
As of now, city councilors receive 10% of the Bend area's median income, or $9,770 a year. Due to her added duties, the mayor makes 20% of the median income, or $19,540 a year.
"I treat being mayor as a full-time job." Mayor Melanie Kebler said Tuesday.
That full-time job pays just above the poverty level. Kebler says there are no set hours to be clocked in for the position, but council members are part of various committees and organizations that take up their time beside the twice-a-month (or more) city council meetings.
"What we want to do is make sure this is compensated at a level that people don't feel like they have to have a bunch of other work that takes away their ability to do the council job." the mayor said.
Councilors in 2018 put a measure on the ballot to take their pay out of the city charter and instead have the amounts set by ordinance, after an independent advisory committee makes its recommendations. Voters approved that change and another charter amendment that brought a return to direct voter election of the mayor, who had been chosen by fellow councilors.
Under the terms of Resolution 3107, a compensation advisory committee of seven or eight members was established, including three former council members and the other four or five having previously served on the city's Charter Review Committee.
The city code also says councilors should reappoint such a committee every five years, starting this year, to review compensation and consider recommendations, to begin after the next election cycle.
The city is hoping to bring people from various backgrounds to the committee to get a wider opinion.
