Hoquiam City Council members voted to give themselves a raise at Monday’s meeting.
The raise is modeled off those included for city staff in the 2019-20 biennial budget — 3 percent per year over the next two years. This worked out to about $15 a month more per council member, from $260 to $275. The proposal was initially presented to the council by Ward 1 Councilman Paul McMillan at the Jan. 14 meeting.
Ward 1 Councilman Dave Wilson said he was in favor of the raises, but wanted to add language to the ordinance that would require council members be present at each meeting to collect their pay.
“This is a job, we get paid for it, no matter how much,” he said. “The city shouldn’t pay (members) not to be here.”
Ward 2 Councilman Steven Puvogel said he did not believe such language would be allowed under state law, but told Wilson he “agreed with the sentiment.”
Ward 4 Councilman Greg Grun said he didn’t know that the raises were necessary and made a motion to delay a decision until the next budget cycle. His motion failed to get a second.
The ordinance passed, 9-2, with Puvogel and Grun casting the two no votes. Ward 6 Councilman David Hinchen arrived late to the meeting and did not cast a vote on the ordinance.
The raises do not take effect immediately. Under state law, a council is allowed to change the salaries of the mayor and council members by ordinance, but the change would not be reflected until the next election cycle. There are seven city council seats up for election in November; the salary increase would take effect for whomever wins those seats in 2020.
Stinchfield appointed
The vacant Ward 6 council position was filled Monday by Mary Stinchfield. She was unanimously approved by the council and was the only applicant.
“I want to be involved with our city and help in any way I can to keep it the wonderful place it is,” she wrote in her letter of interest. “With other citizens, we recently formed the beautification committee and will work hard this spring to bring some color and beauty to the down area.”
The Hoquiam Beautification Committee is a group of citizens who will be planting flowers and performing other duties to spruce up the city. Late last year the council approved $10,000 over the next two years in the budget for the program.
Stinchfield thanked the council Monday for the funding and said her work has already begun. She and her husband spent Saturday working on the fountain in front of City Hall, burning away the moss, taking out the weeds and planting primroses. She said the order for planter pots, dirt and flowers is in the works, and the committee would be planting in the spring around the time the city puts up its hanging flower baskets for the season.
