Poway City Council pay increases 10 percent
The Poway City Council voted Tuesday night to give itself a 10 percent raise — a $98.67 per month increase, which would be effective in December.
The ordinance will get a second reading on March 7, when the council meets again. If passed, the council members will receive a monthly salary of $1,061.32, while Mayor Mickey Cafagna will receive $1,361.32 monthly, an additional $300 per month because of his time demands as mayor.
The recommended salary changes will amount to a total of $6,810. If adopted, those salary increases will be part of the 2006-2007 budget, which gets processed in June.
According to state law, the council can enact an ordinance that establishes the salaries of its council members, but the amount of the increase cannot exceed five percent of each calendar year since the last compensation.
The last raise was approved on Jan. 27, 2004, when the council members’ salaries were set at $962.65 per month.
That increase was based on the initial salary of $400 monthly, which was established in August, 1985, according to a city report.
The city staff did not consider the salaries that council members in other communities receive, said Assistant City manger Penny Riley.
Meanwhile, in other city business, the council approved spending $25,000 for a “resident satisfaction survey,” which was suggested by City Manager Rod Gould.
Godbe Research will ask a sampling of about 400 residents to judge a wide range of services that the city provides, Gould said.
The results of such a survey would let the city know where it could do better, he added.
Another survey conducted in two years would help the city check on its progress. It would also help establish a trend analysis which could provide valuable results in budgeting and in other categories.
Councilwoman Betty Rexford wondered if people would actually take time to answer a phone survey. Gould assured her that those who want to comment about city business would likely take the time to respond.
The council gave the idea a 5-0 vote of approval. It has not been determined when the survey will be conducted.