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Salaries of Poway mayor, councilmembers to rise

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Poway City Council members informally agreed Tuesday night that the time has come to increase their monthly salaries.

Stressing that it’s been eight years since the stipends were raised, and that the action has nothing to do with an estimated $22 million in surplus municipal budget money, all five councilmembers got behind the idea of a 14.5 percent increase in their pay, effective following the November elections.

The mayor will receive a 40 percent salary premium for extra responsibilities.

None of the five were comfortable about the prospect of higher pay, but justified their decisions by saying the 14.5 percent roughly represents Consumer Price Index increases since 2008 and will not be retroactive.

By state law, councilmembers can increase their pay by up to 5 percent annually. That has not happened in Poway.

Each councilmember currently makes $1,167 per month while the mayor receives that plus an extra $300. Under the plan gaining support Tuesday night, councilmembers will receive $1,336 per month while the mayor will be paid $1,871 each month.

The consensus was reached during a non-voting council workshop. A formal vote will come later this month.

Mayor Steve Vaus placed in the salary issue on Tuesday night’s agenda, saying he has found that being a council member is a lot more than meeting twice a month for three hours.

“That’s just the tip of the tip of the iceberg,” Vaus said.

“It’s a 24-hour-a-day job,” Councilman John Mullin agreed. “The city gets its money’s worth out of us. It’s a bargain.”

“It’s the ‘A Team’ up here, Councilman Jim Cunningham said. He initially suggested holding off on any salary increase until a citywide compensation study is completed next year, followed by employee union contract talks. The idea did not gain any traction with the rest of the council.

What other councils and mayors are paid throughout the county ranges widely, according to a staff-prepared survey. Imperial Beach pays councilmembers only $300 per month while those in Escondido receive $1,725. Among local mayors, Coronado pays $435 per month while Escondido pays its mayor $6,597.

The elected officials said the new slightly higher salaries in Poway might attract younger residents with families to run for a council seat.

Vaus stepped out of the room when the time came to discuss the mayor’s salary.

Assistant City Manager Tina White said her research showed that a council about 15 years ago decided that the mayor should be paid a little more for the extra responsibilities. Why the $300 amount, about 40 percent more than what the councilmembers were paid at the time, was set was unclear.

The four current councilmembers said the percentage seemed right and agreed to increase the current mayor’s pay accordingly.

In addition to their salaries, the mayor and council each receive $3,600 a year in car allowances along with city-paid health, dental and vision insurance. (The city pays 50 percent of dependent coverage.) Members contribute between 6 and 7 percent of their earnings into a pension fund. The city also gives them $600 a year for cell phone expenses or $900 a year for a smartphone with a required data package.

In other matters, the City Council:

• Awarded a $157,000 contract to EMG of Laguna Hills to conduct an assessment of maintenance and repair needs of 42 city owned buildings.

• Approved an ordinance exempting mobile food vendors from needing a solicitor’s license when working in city owned facilities.

• Granted a variance allowing a proposed addition to the residence at 13044 Avenida La Valencia to extend into the front yard setback.

• Approved a conditional use permit allowing an indoor recreation facility at 13651 Danielson St. The applicant is Apex Movement.

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