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CITY COUNCIL
Conversations during last week’s council meeting turned towards a potential bump in compensat ion and term length for Elgin’s chair holders.
City Council took time July 2 to discuss what they would like to see included in City Manager Tom Mattis’ upcoming annual budget proposal. Ahead of the 2024-25 fiscal year proposal, council members voiced opinions on a salary increase in response to city growth and a longer term of service to better situate and focus the board.
“It’s always healthy to have conversations about things [the council] would like to see, things that they’ll be bringing forward after the budget is presented,” Mattis said. “It’s a completely balanced budget, but it comes purely from the perspective of the staff for what’s proposed.”
Council Member YaLecia Love brought forward the two focus points and shared what residents suggested in one of her recent Ward 2 meetings.
Love proposed an increase in salary for council members to $500 per month, and $750 per month for the mayor. The last pay increase was approved in 2018, raising compensation to $150 and $250, respectively.
“For me, as far as pay increase, I feel with the growth comes more responsibility,” Love said. “It obviously alleviates some out-of-pocket expenses that we use.”
Council members are reimbursed for travel, meeting and training expenditures but are taxed on it.
The added funds would also provide access to perform jobs more efficiently, according to the council.
“Some of us work fulltime jobs, and this as well is a full-time job with the growing community,” Love said. “With increased growth comes increased responsibility.”
As for the current two year term length, council members stated that focus is often drawn towards campaigning during the second year instead of community needs.
“The community actually loses,” Love added. “I feel that two years is not a joke, but it’s kind of like a slap in the face. You get in and you’re good for that one year and you’re learning and you’re doing the work that you were elected to do, and then the next year comes and it’s your time to run.”
The council member suggested a three or four year service, with term limits.
Mayor Theresa McShan favored the suggestions, stating that it takes a lot of work to be on the council and a three year term should be the minimum.
“With us only having two years, we spend one year getting in trying to learn, the next year we’re campaigning,” McShan said. “[Three years] gives you an opportunity to get in and learn, and then to be able to start to execute some of the things that we want to do and be able to do it.”
While the city manager heard the concerns, he stated that the process to achieve the desired result may take more time.
Adjusting term length would most likely require a charter amendment and go before voters, often the same for council pay, according to Mattis. The matter would probably not be able to be put on the upcoming November ballot, he added.
“I think in Elgin today it literally costs people to be on the City Council, just the lost time alone,” Mattis said.
Mattis also made it clear that he doesn’t want the salary to be so high that it becomes the sole reason people are running, but “we’re not anywhere near that.”
The cit y manager doesn’t anticipate any big surprises in the budget this year, he added.
