DUBLIN — The Dublin Metropolis Council plans to provide itself a ten% elevate after the approaching normal election, and can considerably enhance the mayor’s pay starting subsequent month.
Councilmembers are at the moment paid $1,285.10 monthly, and underneath Dublin’s metropolis code, the mayor receives $100 greater than council members every month, or $1,385.10, in keeping with metropolis employees reviews.
At its April 5 council assembly, nonetheless, the council and mayor voted unanimously to provide the council members a ten% elevate, as much as $1,416.82 monthly after the subsequent council is seated, and to provide the mayor $1,927.65, or 50% greater than council members’ pay.
The council will finalize the choice at its Tuesday assembly, and the mayor’s pay elevate would turn into efficient 30 days after that, in keeping with town clerk.
The council members and Mayor Melissa Hernandez mentioned the rise for the mayor’s pay is warranted as a result of Hernandez has extra tasks and calls for on her time than council members.
“Folks count on the mayor to be there,” Councilmember Shawn Kumagai mentioned on the April 5 assembly.
“There are the ribbon cuttings and the entire neighborhood occasions, and the issues that the mayor has to current at on behalf of town,” Kumagai mentioned.
“If I don’t present as much as a ribbon-cutting, nobody cares, but when the mayor doesn’t present up, folks take be aware,” he added.
Hernandez mentioned the mayor is predicted to do extra, and famous she represents town on a number of completely different regional boards, such because the Alameda County Transportation Fee. Whereas she will get extra stipends for a few of these roles, not all of them pay, she mentioned.
“It’s not nearly ribbon-cuttings,” Hernandez mentioned.
“After I go to the (U.S. Convention of Mayors), I take day without work of my work, which is my trip time that I’ve taken away from my household,” she mentioned on the assembly.
“We're all conscious, that is what we signed up for. And consider me, I've no regrets in any respect, in anyway. However I do really feel that for the subsequent mayor coming ahead, that it’s solely truthful,” she mentioned.
Dublin’s council has elevated its pay constantly, bumping by roughly 10% in 2016, 2018, and 2020. State code permits for an as much as 5% enhance every calendar 12 months.
Although Dublin is smaller in inhabitants, with about 72,000 residents, its council’s pay exceeds that of neighboring Livermore and Pleasanton, with populations of 87,000 folks and 80,000 folks, respectively, in keeping with the U.S. Census Bureau.
Livermore council members are paid $1,070 and the mayor is paid $1,490, whereas in Pleasanton, council members are paid $1,201 and the mayor is paid $1,301, in keeping with Dublin metropolis employees reviews.
A number of the council members mentioned Dublin must be preserving tempo with different Alameda County cities which have a a lot greater pay differential for the mayor’s function.
“I feel that whereas it’s altruistic to maintain a low pay, my place stands, that I’ve expressed earlier than, that it actually makes it typically prohibitive for sure folks to take part,” Kumagai mentioned.
He mentioned the council had mentioned growing the mayor and council pay in the course of the pandemic, however held off on taking any motion.
“And a part of the rationale was we had been within the midst of a pandemic and we didn’t actually wish to seem like giving ourselves a elevate when lots of people had been struggling, and I get that,” Kumagai mentioned.
“However I do assume that is one thing we have to discover a approach to rectify.”