2018, 12-20 meeting summary SCITY
pokane
�/ OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
Tilley Christine Bainbridge,City Clerk
10210 E Sprague Avenue • Spokane Valley WA 99206
Phone: (509)720-5102 •Fax:(509)720-5075 •www.spokanevalley.org
cbainbridge @ spokanevalley.org
SPOKANE VALLEY INDEPENDENT SALARY COMMISSION
Spokane Valley City Hall, Conference Room N212
December 20, 2018 Meeting Summary
Commission Members Present: Staff Present:
Bill Gothmann, Chair Staff Liaison: Cary Driskell,City Attorney
Tes Sturges,Vice-chair John Whitehead,Human Resources Manager
Steve Robertson Chris Bainbridge, City Clerk
Chuck Simpson
Kathe Williams
Others Present: two citizens
Meeting Summary: The meeting was convened at 4:00 p.m.
Mr. Gothmann noted in case we have meetings further into January,that he would be out of town January 16
through 24. Mr. Driskell said the projected date for the report is January 10, 2019, depending on how much
gets accomplished tonight; and he clarified that in order to get the report into the appropriate council agenda
packet on time,a better date might be January 9,2019. To briefly recap the previous meeting,Mr. Gothmann
asked Ms. Sturges about the averages she calculated last week from the amount of time spent per
councilmember, and she noted the average weekly time spent was 29.8 on the low end, and 37.6 on the high
end,which corresponds with the range of hours reported by each councilmember.
The results from the on-line survey was discussed which was included on the draft `Final Report' submitted
by Mr. Driskell. In looking at the survey results, Mr. Gothmann noted that citizens suggest a salary between
$1,000 and $1,250. Ms. Sturges said for the councilmembers, there is 43% in favor of the $750 to $1,000;
18% on the bottom range, and about 38%in the middle; and based on that, said she thinks the salary would
fall between $1,000 and $1,500. She noted the results were similar for the salary of the mayor; with 35% in
the low range, 31%in the next two ranges combined,and 33%in the top two ranges.Mr. Simpson said those
figures are about in line with what he was considering.
Mr. Whitehead said he had no further updates on his data. In reviewing the blue spreadsheet, Mr. Driskell
asked if commissioners had thought about which cities to use as comparison cities. Regarding his linear
regression charts with the two graphs, one for Council-Manager only and eliminating Spokane Valley, and
the other for council-manager only eliminating Vancouver, Belleview and Spokane Valley, Mr. Gothmann
said he would prefer to look at a trend line, and said he found that the cities on both sides of the state follow
the same trend line in looking at size of the city and council salary; and said if you include Spokane Valley,
he comes up with a figure of about$1,279,which he said includes Bothell,Lacey,Olympia,Shoreline,Burien,
Richland,Pasco,Kennewick,Kirkland and Yakima;that they all follow the trend line.Mr.Driskell,in seeking
clarification, said that it appears in answer to which cities to use for comparisons, that Mr. Gothmann is
identifying all of the cities included on that bottom graph, and Mr. Gothmann concurred that includes all the
cities listed from Des Moines to Yakima, and said he therefore is ready to offer a figure, but Mr. Driskell
suggested waiting until all the commissioners agree on which cities to use,and Mr. Driskell asked if anyone
had any other suggestions. Ms. Bainbridge asked if the 2006 report showed how many cities were used for
comparisons,because this list includes 15 cities.Mr.Driskell said there were four cities used last time but the
ability to collect data last time was a bit more difficult as compared to this time, as this time we have the
benefit of Mr. Whitehead's assistance. Concerning the mayor's salary, Mr. Gothmann said according to the
RCW, initially the salary would be 25% greater than the councilmembers, and the figure our present council
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has is 30%; said he looked at the difference for the mayor's salary for all the cities on the list, and those
average 22%, and said he likes a figure of 25%. Going back to the list of cities to use for comparisons, after
further brief discussion,it was ultimately unanimously decided to just use the nine cities on the bottom graph,
which include Lacey through Yakima.Mr. Driskell said he will include those nine cities into his draft report,
with a note that after looking at several cities,this commission feels those cities are more directly comparable,
and show that in Appendix III. Mr. Gothmann asked the commissioners if everyone agrees that the salaries
of the present councilmembers are too low, and they all said agreed wholeheartedly.
Mr. Gothmann invited public comments. Ms.Barb Howard, Spokane Valley,mentioned she has an article at
home,possibly from 2009,that indicates then Councilmember Diana Wilhite was putting in 30 hours a week.
Mr.Driskell said there are several factors that influence that number,one is the number of committees internal
and external,the point of someone's working career as if someone is working they can't necessarily spend as
much time as those who are not; and he cautioned that what it was in 2012 will be different from now which
will again be different in 2022.Ms.Howard asked if there is any difference in benefits from what council gets
and what staff gets. Mr. Driskell said that is outside the consideration of what this commission thinks the
salary should be; and Mr. Whitehead said the plans and the benefits are the same, however, staff pays a flat
rate for their insurance, and he noted that staff retirement is required by Washington State. There were no
other public comments.
Mr. Robertson said he feels the positions of mayor and councilmember are very important and carry with it
great responsibility; that there is a sense of volunteerism, but their current pay is extraordinarily low. Mr.
Driskell noted he thinks there is a sense of volunteerism in what the public expects and from those who serve,
but that is a factor as to why they wouldn't get the full value of their work because they are contributing to the
community; he said that is not to say that there is an expectation they will volunteer to do it,but rather it is a
complex analysis of the amount of work, level of responsibility, size of the budget, the public safety issues
being addressed,and the big picture is it is very important for the health of our community, is that they want
to do this because they have a sense of community and volunteerism,and several others agreed there is a sense
of volunteerism,but they should also be compensated for their work,including comments about the minimum
hourly wage which will be$12.00 beginning this January,and Mr. Simpson noted again that benefits also play
a part in the salary. After further discussion about minimum wage, the average amount of hours worked of
about 25 to 30,responsibilities of the positions and the importance of the work,that there has been no increase
in salaries for about 12 years, benefits, average wages of mayors and councilmembers of other cities, and
some salary ranges to consider, it was decided unanimously that the salary of a councilmember should be
$1415, and the salary of the mayor should be $1775.00, which is about 25% higher than that of a
councilmember. It was noted the $1415 was based on$11.00 an hour for 30 hours a week.
Mr. Driskell reminded everyone that when he writes the report,those nine comparable cities will be included,
that he will include a general statement of how this commission arrived at the $1415 figure; and that this
commission recommends the council consider reconvening a salary commission every three years. Mr.
Driskell said once the final draft of the report is complete,it will be e-mailed to commission members;and he
cautioned commissioners not to `reply all' to such e-mail as we don't want any perception of an illegal
meeting.Mr. Driskell suggested perhaps the next meeting would only last five to ten minutes,and if there are
no changes, the report will be signed by the Mr. Gothmann as chair of the commission, at which time this
commission's work will be complete.Mr. Driskell said once that is accomplished,he will make a presentation
to council,that commission members are free to attend if they choose,and that there will be no public comment
on this report nor any discussion about it from council, as it would merely be presented to council as
information;and that the goal is to give the report to Council January 15,and to publish the report January 18
and 25; and that the January 25 publication date triggers the thirty-day appeal period for the public should
anyone wish to file a referendum petition; he noted that he would have to research the number of signatures
required on a referendum petition;but if there is no referendum,at the 31St day after the January 25 publication,
the salary would become final and part of the budget without any further action required, and would be
reflected as such later by a budget amendment. It was determined that this commission's next and last meeting
will be Tuesday,January 8,at 4:00 p.m.
The meeting adjourned at 5:04 p.m.
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