Collinsville discusses compensation levels, cites no raise in 32 years
By Devese “Dee” Ursery
Pay for elected officials was the focus of discussion at the March 14 meeting of the Collinsville City Council.
The discussion came after Mayor John Miller made a request for city staff to review the rate, as it had not been updated since 1991 when Collinsville transitioned to a city manager form of government.
Miller explained that elected officials hadn’t received a pay increase in 32 years. Compensation is important and should be considered, he said, not for his personal gain, but for the people of Collinsville and the future of the city.
“It doesn’t mean anything to me because I’m leaving,” Miller said. “I think for the future of our community and the hard-working people on the council. They deserve adequate compensation. It’s extremely overdue.”
City Manager Mitch Bair said when evaluating the compensation for elected city officials, staff looked at two items – inflationary impacts on compensation and comparisons with other municipal governments.
In terms of inflationary impact, Blair said staff looked at what the 1991 rate would be in today’s dollars using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator. The 1991 compensation rate set at $3,600 for the mayor is equivalent to $8,000 in today’s dollars. The compensation level for council members set at $3,000 is equal to $6,600 in 2023.
City staff is recommending that compensation for the mayor be raised from $3,600 to $10,000 and council members’ salaries go from $3,000 to $ 8,000.
Staff used the Illinois Local Government Officer Compensation Act as a guide when reviewing comparable elected officials compensation levels. The act states compensation for elected officials of a home rule municipality must be fixed at least 180 days or six months before the beginning of that official’s term.
Bair said that meant anything done now was not going to be effective in the election coming up here in April. But he explained that it would be established for the general municipal election after it is certified in 2025.
Bair also looked at surrounding communities and what they were doing in regards to their elected officials compensation levels. He said that compared to surrounding municipalities, Collinsville is at the bottom of that list.
Collinsville city council members are paid $3,000 below the annual average, while the mayor’s salary is $23,000 below that average.
Bair said that along with contemplation of compensation levels, staff recommended the council consider a policy to provide oversight as to when and how elected official compensation is addressed. He said the adoption of a policy would depoliticize this issue and would help in maintaining this conversation as a general matter of operational business practice.
“Basically the policy will tell us when and how to go about the business of compensating elected city officials,” Bair said. “We believe that compensation should be evaluated every two years in coordination with our annual budget process.”
The Illinois Local Government Officer Compensation Act states compensation for elected officials of a home rule municipality must be fixed at least 180 days or six months before the beginning of that official’s term. Bair said that meant anything done now was not going to be effective in the April 4 election.
Councilman David Jerome countered he is apprehensive about the jump from $3,000 to $8,000 for council members, but is ok with the mayor’s salary going up from $3,600 to $10,000 or even $12,000.
He is also concerned with evaluating compensation every two years, because the normal reaction would be to raise it. He believes it should be looked at every four years, to keep it barely in line with what other communities are doing.
“The big thing is, we just want to make sure to keep in mind that this taxpayer money is paying for all of this,” Jerome said.
Councilman Tony Hausmann also weighed in on the compensation discussion. He agrees that $6,000 is adequate, but was seemingly skeptical of an increase to $10,000 or $12,000 for the mayor position.
“I would go the other way for the mayor and make it $8,000,” Hausmann said. “No offense to the mayor’s position at all, but just as a starting point because the position has been void of any increase for so long.”
Council agreed to move forward with the city staff recommendations and plan for an ordinance at the March 28 regular city council meeting.
In other news from the meeting, Gateway Convention Center will be replacing four HVAC units. There are currently 11 roof top Carrier units on the building that are aging beyond their service life and are in danger of failure. Jamie Lane, general manager of the Gateway Convention Center, said the plan is to replace two to four units per year over the next 10 to 15 years.
The approved Capital Improvement Plan budget for this project was $176,900. The original Trane HVAC agreement was for $170,074, but the price was reduced by $4,200 to a total of $165,874.
Council members approved the authorization of a professional services agreement with Oates Associates, Inc. in the amount of $99,700. The agreement is for the development of the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. The plan will implement guidelines, priorities and planning towards creating a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly city.
The city applied for and has been awarded two grants to help finance this project. A Metro East Park and Recreation District grant in the amount of $39,200 and an Agency of Community Transit for $35,000. The remaining balance of $25,500 will be the City’s responsibility.
A resolution was made by the council to accept the Fire Department Master Plan and implement short, medium and long range plans for current and future fire station facilities and locations.
Many Collinsville Firefighters were present at the meeting, as the council recognized the career of recently retired Firefighter/Paramedic Mike Harris. They were also there in support of new Firefighter Brendan Heaton.
There were also two new Collinsville Police Officers sworn in as well – Stuart Patterson out of East St. Louis and Guiseppi Coppotelli, son of retired Collinsville Assistant Chief Tom Coppotelli.
The next regular city council meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m on March 28.
