Council OKs pay increase

SANDPOINT — Beginning next year, council members will make a little more money.

Council members voted Wednesday to increase compensation from $200 to $275 per month, a figure already included in the preliminary budget. The amount of the raise is calculated to completely cover health insurance premiums for council members. According to City Treasurer Shannon Syth, some members were paying a portion of their premiums out-of-pocket, effectively fining them for sitting on the governmental body.

“It didn’t seem right for someone to serve their community and not have enough in their paycheck to cover insurance premiums,” Syth said.

The pay increases, which amount to a total of $5,400 between all six council members, will go into effect Jan. 1 after this year’s elections have been completed. Council compensation has not been increased since an ordinance establishing a $2,400 annual salary was adopted in 1999.

According to Councilwoman Carrie Logan, compensation increases have always been a topic council members were hesitant to broach since it would affect the budget. While compensation should never be a major motivating factor in running for office, however, it’s also not out of place in public service, she added.

Sandpoint resident and Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency board member Steve Lockwood, himself a former council member, supported the decision to raise council salaries.

“I think the proposal is too low, and I think the mayor should be included,” he said, later adding, “I don’t think I was necessarily worth more, but I think you all are.”  

However, because the council member raises were already tabulated into the preliminary budget, members decided to forgo including the mayor in any raises for the coming year.