The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday adopted an ordinance that will increase pay for the assembly and Mayor. The change will cost the borough an estimated $11,172 annually.
The assembly approved the ordinance by a 4-1 vote, with member Scott Rossman opposed and Greg Goodman absent.
Assembly members have been paid $100 for assembly meetings, and Jan Hill, as Mayor, earned $1,000 per month.
“Each member of the assembly shall receive compensation at the rate of $125 for each regular and special meeting of the assembly attended,” the ordinance states. “Each member of the assembly shall also receive compensation at the rate of $50 for each budget committee-of-the-whole meeting.”
Assembly members previously had not been compensated for any committee-of-the-whole meetings.
Member Steve Vick noted those budget meetings are “typically at least an hour, sometimes two hours,” while other committee-of-the-whole meetings might be much shorter.
The assembly also upped Hill’s salary, to $1,250 per month.
Members amended the ordinance to include, “In the event of consecutive meetings occurring on the same day, assembly members shall receive attendance and travel compensation for only one meeting and, in the event the meetings involve different rates, it shall be paid at the higher amount.”
Borough clerk Julie Cozzi said member Jerry Lapp currently is the only assembly member who meets the requirement to be compensated for travel to meetings at the assembly chambers. The ordinance extends the travel compensation to budget committee-of-the-whole meetings.
According to the ordinance, “Any assembly member who resides at a distance greater than 20 miles from the meeting site shall receive an additional $10 for every regular meeting, special meeting, and budget committee-of-the-whole meeting attended to compensate for travel costs.”
The assembly in October approved compensating members of the planning commission at a rate of $50 per meeting attended.