City Council Salary Compensation Review Process Initiation Copyrighted
April 17, 2017
City of Dubuque Action Items # 6.
ITEM TITLE: City Council Salary Compensation Review Process
Initiation
SUMMARY: City Clerk submitting information for initiating the process of
reviewing City Council salary compensation beginning
January 1 , 2018.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Council
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Staff Memo Staff Memo
Iowa Code E)r-erpt 372.13 Supporting Documentation
Council Wage History Supporting Documentation
Ordinance 30-13 City Council Compensation Supporting Documentation
THE CITY OF Dubuque
krftrl
DUBiiaTE
All-America City
11
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor Buol and
City Council Members
FROM: Kevin S. Firnstahl, City Clerk
SUBJECT: City Council Salary Compensation
DATE: April 10, 2017
Pursuant to Iowa Code 372.13.8,
"...the council shall not adopt an ordinance changing the compensation of
the mayor, council members, or other elected officers during the months of
November and December in the year of a regular city election. A change
in the compensation of council members becomes effective for all council
members at the beginning of the term of the council members elected at
the election next following the change in compensation."
Additionally, it has been the policy of the Dubuque City Council to only consider a
change in compensation during a year in which a majority of council member terms
expire. This year, the mayor and three council members' terms expire on December 31,
2017. The last adjustment in Council compensation took effect January 1, 2014.
At the 2004 City Council Goal Setting, the City Council determined that a Salary
Compensation Task Force should be utilized for the purpose of recommending changes
to Mayor and City Council salaries. The Task Force is comprised of seven citizen
representatives that each council member personally selects.
The Task Force is provided with salary compensation history and comparative
information as well as information about council calendars and boards and commissions
seats. Additional information may be provided to the Task Force as it is requested.
Should the City Council approve initiation of the process, I ask that each council
member provide me with the name of a representative by Monday, May 1. 1 will then
convene the Task Force to begin the process. Once the Task Force determines a
recommendation, I will place it on a future agenda for consideration. If a change in
compensation is approved by the council, an ordinance amendment will be submitted
for adoption.
Thank you.
/ksf
cc: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Jenny Larson, Finance Director
Randy Peck, Personnel Manager
I ORGANIZATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT, §372.13
372.13 The counciL
1. A majority of all council members is a quorum.
2. A vacancy in an elective city office during a term of office shall be filled,at the council's
option, by one of the two following procedures:
a. (1) By appointment by the remaining members of the council, except that if the
remaining members do not constitute a quorum of the full membership,paragraph"b"shall
be followed. The appointment shall be made within sixty days after the vacancy occurs
and shall be for the period until the next regular city election described in section 376.1,
unless there is an intervening special election for that city, in which event the election for
the office shall be placed on the ballot at such special election. If the council fails to make an
appointment within sixty days as required by this subsection,the city clerk shall give notice
of the vacancy to the county commissioner and the county commissioner shall call a special
election to fill the vacancy at the earliest practicable date but no fewer than thirty-two days
after the notice is received by the county commissioner.
(2) If the council chooses to proceed under this paragraph, it shall publish notice in the
manner prescribed by section 362.3, stating that the council intends to fill the vacancy by
appointment but that the electors of the city or ward,as the case may be,have the right to file
a petition requiring that the vacancy be filled by a special election. The council may publish
notice in advance if an elected official submits a resignation to take effect at a future date.
The council may make an appointment to fill the vacancy after the notice is published or after
the vacancy occurs, whichever is later. However, if within fourteen days after publication
of the notice or within fourteen days after the appointment is made, there is filed with the
city clerk a petition which requests a special election to fill the vacancy, an appointment to
fill the vacancy is temporary and the council shall call a special election to fill the vacancy
permanently,under paragraph"b". The number of signatures of eligible electors of a city for
a valid petition shall be determined as follows:
(a) For a city with a population of ten thousand or less, at least two hundred signatures
or at least the number of signatures equal to fifteen percent of the voters who voted for
candidates for the office at the preceding regular election at which the office was on the ballot,
whichever number is fewer.
(b) For a city with a population of more than ten thousand but not more than fifty
thousand, at least one thousand signatures or at least the number of signatures equal to
fifteen percent of the voters who voted for candidates for the office at the preceding regular
election at which the office was on the ballot,whichever number is fewer.
(c) For a city with a population of more than fifty thousand, at least two thousand
signatures or at least the number of signatures equal to ten percent of the voters who voted
for candidates for the office at the preceding regular election at which the office was on the
ballot, whichever number is fewer.
(d) The minimum number of signatures for a valid petition pursuant to subparagraph
divisions (a)through(c) shall not be fewer than ten. In determining the minimum number of
signatures required, if at the last preceding election more than one position was to be filled
for the office in which the vacancy exists,the number of voters who voted for candidates for
the office shall be determined by dividing the total number of votes cast for the office by the
number of seats to be filled.
b. (1) By a special election held to fill the office for the remaining balance of the unexpired
term. If the council opts for a special election or a valid petition is filed under paragraph
"a",the special election may be held concurrently with any pending election as provided by
section 69.12 if by so doing the vacancy will be filled not more than ninety days after it occurs.
Otherwise, a special election to fill the office shall be called by the council at the earliest
practicable date. The council shall give the county commissioner at least thirty-two days'
written notice of the date chosen for the special election. The council of a city where a primary
election may be required shall give the county commissioner at least sixty days'written notice
of the date chosen for the special election. A special election held under this subsection is
subject to sections 376.4 through 376.11, but the dates for actions in relation to the special
election shall be calculated with regard to the date for which the special election is called.
However, a nomination petition must be filed not less than twenty-five days before the date
Wed Feb 08 03:41:58 2017 Iowa Code 2017, Section 372.13 (8, 0)
§372.13, ORGANIZATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT 2
of the special election and,where a primary election may be required, a nomination petition
must be filed not less than fifty-three days before the date of the special election.
(2) If there are concurrent vacancies on the council and the remaining council members
do not constitute a quorum of the full membership, a special election shall be called by the
county commissioner at the earliest practicable date. The remaining council members shall
give notice to the county commissioner of the absence of a quorum. If there are no remaining
council members,the city clerk shall give notice to the county commissioner of the absence
of a council. If the office of city clerk is vacant,the city attorney shall give notice to the county
commissioner of the absence of a clerk and a council. Notice of the need for a special election
shall be given under this paragraph by the end of the following business day.
3. The council shall appoint a city clerk to maintain city records and perform other duties
prescribed by state or city law.
4. Except as otherwise provided by state or city law, the council may appoint city
officers and employees, and prescribe their powers, duties, compensation, and terms. The
appointment of a city manager must be made on the basis of that individual's qualifications
and not on the basis of political affiliation.
5. The council shall determine its own rules and maintain records of its proceedings. City
records and documents,or accurate reproductions,shall be kept for at least five years except
that:
a. Ordinances, resolutions, council proceedings, records and documents, or accurate
reproductions, relating to the issuance of public bonds or obligations shall be kept for at
least eleven years following the final maturity of the bonds or obligations. Thereafter, such
records, documents, and reproductions may be destroyed, preserving confidentiality as
necessary. Records and documents pertaining to the transfer of ownership of bonds shall
be kept as provided in section 76.10.
b. Ordinances, resolutions, council proceedings, records and documents, or accurate
reproductions,relating to real property transactions shall be maintained permanently.
6. Within fifteen days following a regular or special meeting of the council,the clerk shall
cause the minutes of the proceedings of the council,including the total expenditure from each
city fund, to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city. The publication
shall include a list of all claims allowed and a summary of all receipts and shall show the
gross amount of the claims. The list of claims allowed shall show the name of the person or
firm making the claim, the reason for the claim, and the amount of the claim. If the reason
for the claims is the same,two or more claims made by the same vendor,supplier,or claimant
may be consolidated if the number of claims consolidated and the total consolidated claim
amount are listed in the statement. However,the city shall provide at its office upon request
an unconsolidated list of all claims allowed. Matters discussed in closed session pursuant to
section 21.3 shall not be published until entered on the public minutes. However, in cities
having more than one hundred fifty thousand population,the council shall each month print
in pamphlet form a detailed itemized statement of all receipts and disbursements of the city,
and a summary of its proceedings during the preceding month, and furnish copies to the
city library, the daily newspapers of the city, and to persons who apply at the office of the
city clerk, and the pamphlet shall constitute publication as required. Failure by the clerk to
make publication is a simple misdemeanor. The provisions of this subsection are applicable
in cities in which a newspaper is published, or in cities of two hundred population or over,
but in all other cities,posting the statement in three public places in the city which have been
permanently designated by ordinance is sufficient compliance with this subsection.
7. By ordinance,the council may divide the city into wards which shall be drawn according
to the following standards:
a. All ward boundaries shall follow precinct boundaries.
b. Wards shall be as nearly equal as practicable to the ideal population determined by
dividing the number of wards to be established into the population of the city.
c. Wards shall be composed of contiguous territory as compact as practicable.
d. Consideration shall not be given to the addresses of incumbent officeholders,political
affiliations of registered voters,previous election results, or demographic information other
Wed Feb 08 03:41:58 2017 Iowa Code 2017, Section 372.13 (8, 0)
3 ORGANIZATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT, §372.13
thanpopulation head counts,except as required by the Constitution and the laws of the United
States.
8. By ordinance, the council shall prescribe the compensation of the mayor, council
members, and other elected city officers, but a change in the compensation of the mayor
does not become effective during the term in which the change is adopted, and the council
shall not adopt an ordinance changing the compensation of the mayor, council members, or
other elected officers during the months of November and December in the year of a regular
city election. A change in the compensation of council members becomes effective for all
council members at the beginning of the term of the council members elected at the election
next following the change in compensation. Except as provided in section 362.5, an elected
city officer is not entitled to receive any other compensation for any other city office or city
employment during that officer's tenure in office,but may be reimbursed for actual expenses
incurred. However,if the mayor pro tem performs the duties of the mayor during the mayor's
absence or disability for a continuous period of fifteen days or more,the mayor pro tem may
be paid for that period the compensation determined by the council,based upon the mayor
pro tem's performance of the mayor's duties and upon the compensation of the mayor.
9. A council member,during the term for which that member is elected,is not eligible for
appointment to any city office if the office has been created or the compensation of the office
has been increased during the term for which that member is elected. A person who resigns
from an elective office is not eligible for appointment to the same office during the time for
which that person was elected if during that time, the compensation of the office has been
increased.
10. A council member,during the term for which that member is elected,is not precluded
from holding the office of chief of the volunteer fire department if the fire department serves
an area with a population of not more than two thousand. A person holding the office of chief
of such a volunteer fire department at the time of the person's election to the city council may
continue to hold the office of chief of the fire department during the city council term for
which that person was elected.
11. a. Council members shall be elected according to the council representation plans
under sections 372.4 and 372.5. However,the council representation plan may be changed,
by petition and election,to one of those described in this subsection. Upon receipt of a valid
petition, as defined in section 362.4, requesting a change to a council representation plan,
the council shall submit the question at a special election. If a majority of the persons voting
at the special election approves the changed plan, it becomes effective at the beginning of
the term following the next regular city election. If a majority does not approve the changed
plan,the council shall not submit another proposal to change a plan to the voters within the
next two years.
b. Eligible electors of a city may petition for one of the following council representation
plans:
(1) Election at large without ward residence requirements for the members.
(2) Election at large but with equal-population ward residence requirements for the
members.
(3) Election from single-member, equal-population wards, in which the electors of each
ward shall elect one member who must reside in that ward.
(4) Election of a specified number of members at large and a specified number of members
from single-member, equal-population wards.
1. [R60,§1081,1093;C73,§511,522;C97,§668;513,§668;C24,27,31,35,39,§5663;C46,
50, §363.36; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §368A.1(2); C75, 77, 79,81,§372.13(1)]
2. [R60, §1101; C73, §514, 524; C97, §668; 513, §668; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §5663; C46, 50,
§363.36; C54,58,62,66, 71, 73,§368A.1(8); C75, 77, 79,81,§372.13(2); 81 Acts,ch 34,§46]
3. [R60, §1082, 1093; C73, §512, 522; C97, §651, 659, 940; 513, §651; SS15, §1056-a26,
1056-b18; C24,27,31, 35, 39, §5633, 5640, 5663,6528, 6651,6703; C46, 50, §363.11,363.19,
363.36, 416.52, 419.37, 420.13; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §368A.1(1), 368A.3; C75, 77, 79, 81,
§372.13(3)]
4. [R60,§1086,1093,1095,1098,1103,1105,1134;C73,§493,515,522,524,528,532,534;
C97,§651,657,668,676; 513,§651,657,668,1056-a27, 1056-a28; SS15,§1056-a26,1056-b14,
Wed Feb 08 03:41:58 2017 Iowa Code 2017, Section 372.13 (8, 0)
§372.13, ORGANIZATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT 4
1056-b17, 1056-b18; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §5638, 5663, 5671, 6519, 6528, 6529, 6533, 6651,
6666, 6674; C46, 50, §363.11, 363.17, 363.36, 363.45, 416.43, 416.52, 416.53, 416.57, 419.37,
419.52,419.60;C54,58,62,66,71,73,§363.40,363A.4,363B.11,363C.4,363C.9,368A.1(7,9,
10); C75, 77, 79, 81, §372.13(4)]
5, 6. [R60, §1082, 1093; C73,§512, 522; C97,§659, 668; 513,§668, 687-a; C24, 27, 31, 35,
39, §5640, 5663, 5722; C46, 50, §363.19, 363.33, 366.10; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §368A.1(4),
368A.3; C75, 77, 79, 81, §372.13(5,6); 82 Acts, ch 1047, §1]
7. [R60,§1092;C73,§520;C97,§641; 513,§641;C24,27,31,35,39,§5626;C46,50,§363.4;
C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §363.7; C75, 77, 79, 81, §372.13(7)]
S. [R60,§1091, 1095, 1098; C73,§505, 519,524,528; C97, §669, 676, 943, 945; 513, §669,
1056-a28; SS15, §1056-b9; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §5664, 5671, 6517, 6633, 6704, 6705; C46,
50, §363.38, 363.45, 416.41, 419.19, 420.14, 420.15; C54, 58, 62, 66, §363.39, 363A.4, 36313.9,
363C.2,420.14,420.15;C71,73,§363.39,363A.4,36313.9,363C.2,363E.1,420.14,420.15;C75,
77, 79, 81, §372.13(8)]
9. [R60, §1091, 1122; C73, §490, 491, 519; C97, §668, 677; 513, §668; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39,
§5672; C46, 50, §363.46, 420.17- 420.19; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §368A.21; C75, 77, 79, 81,
§372.13(9)]
85 Acts,ch 107, §l; 87 Acts, ch 203, §3; 88 Acts, ch 1052, §l; 88 Acts,ch 1246, §4; 89 Acts,
ch 39, §9; 89 Acts, ch 136,§71; 90 Acts, ch 1106, §l; 91 Acts, ch 256, §39; 93 Acts, ch 89, §2;
94 Acts, ch 1179, §24; 94 Acts, ch 1180, §54; 97 Acts, ch 170, §90; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §104,
115; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §249; 2006 Acts, ch 1018, §5; 2006 Acts, ch 1138, §2; 2007 Acts, ch
112, §4; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §66, 71; 2009 Acts,ch 57, §91; 2014 Acts, ch 1101, §8
Referred to in§69.12,§372.4,§372.5,§372.10,§376.11,§420.41
Removal of appointees,see§372.15
Removal of officers,chapter 66
Wed Feb 08 03:41:58 2017 Iowa Code 2017, Section 372.13 (8, 0)
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL SALARY HISTORY
Listed by Effective Date
Prior to January 1, 1994
Mayor - $9,125
Council Members - $6,083
January 1, 1994
Mayor - $9,399
Council Members - $6,265
January 1, 1996
Mayor - $9,681
Council Members - $6,453
January 1, 1996
Mayor - $10,068
Council Members - $6,711
January 1, 1997
Mayor - $10,471
Council Members - $6,979
January 1, 2002
Mayor - $11 ,000
Council Members - $8,000
January 1, 2006
Mayor - $11 ,500
Council Members - $8,500
January 1, 2010
No Change
per Council vote on 5/18/09
January 1, 2014
Mayor - $13,000
Council Members - $9,700
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ORDINANCE NO. 30 -13
AMENDING CITY OF DUBUQUE CODE OF ORDINANCES TITLE 1
ADMINISTRATION, CHAPTER 6 MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, SECTION 1-6-2
COMPENSATION
WHEREAS effective January 1, 1997 the compensation of the Mayor was set at
Ten Thousand Four hundred Seventy-One Dollars ($10,471.00) per annum, and the
compensation for City Council Members set at Six Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy-
Nine Dollars ($6,979.00) per annum; and
WHEREAS effective January 1, 2002 the compensation for the Mayor was set at
Eleven Thousand Dollars ($11,000.00) per annum, and the compensation for City
Council Members set at Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00) per annum; and
WHEREAS effective January 1, 2006, the compensation for the Mayor was set at
Eleven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($11,500.00) per annum, and the compensation
for City Council Members set at Eight Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($8,500.00) per
annum; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the compensation for the
Mayor and City Council Members should be adjusted effective January 1, 2014.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, THAT:
Section 1: Section 1-6-2 of the City of Dubuque Code of Ordinances is amended
to read as follows:
1-6-2: COMPENSATION
Effective January 1, 2014, the compensation for the Mayor shall be Thirteen
Thousand Dollars ($13,000.00) per annum, and the compensation for the City
Council Members shall be Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars ($9,700.00) per
annum.
Section 2: This ordinance shall take effect January 1, 2014.
Passed, approved and adopted this 17th day of June, 2013.
Roy D. Buol, Mayor
Attest:
Kevin S F rnstahl, CMC, City Clerk