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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.3 Ord Increasing Council Salaries CITY OF DUBLIN • AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: March 13, 1989 SUBJECT Public Hearing: Second Reading Ordinance Increasing City Council Salaries (Prepared. by City Manager) • EXHIBITS ATTACHED Draft Ordinance. Assistant City Attorney Memorandum dated March 7, 1989 • RECOMMENDATION 1 ) Open Public Hearing 2) Hear Report from City Manager 4, 3) Hear Public Testimony 4) Close Public Hearing 5) . Deliberate " 6) Waive Reading and Adopt Ordinance FINANCIAL STATEMENT: The passage of this ordinance would not immediately impact the costs of Council's salaries. The adoption ' of this ordinance would result in an increase of $17 . 36 per month for each Council member subsequent to the November 1990 election. ' DESCRIPTION In accordance with City Council discussion in January 1989, the City Attorney prepared for Council consideration an, ordinance, which would increase Council members salaries by 5% for calendar year 1989 . However, incumbent Council members would not be eligible to receive, the increase until after the November 1990 election. This Ordinance was prepared in accordance with Section 36516 (a) of the California Government Code, which establishes a salary of $300 per month for City Council members. Section 36516 (b) allows for an increase in Council member salaries not to exceed 5% for each calendar year. The City Council' s presently monthly salary is $347 . 29 per month. If the Council were to adopt this ordinance, the Council members' salaries would be $364. 65 per month , after the November 1990 election. At the regular City Council meeting on February 27, 1989, a public hearing was conducted and the Draft Ordinance was introduced. • Also, at that, hearing, the City' Council requested that the City Attorney investigate whether expenses, in addition to the monthly salary, may be paid on a flat monthly rate. The current policy is to reimburse actual expenses upon submittal of documentation. The attached memorandum from the Assistant City Attorney explains the findings . Although it is possible to reimburse expenses on a fixed amount, this will not necessarily eliminate record keeping. The Courts have ruled that the amount paid would be subject to audit to verify that the funds were actually and necessarily required. In order to meet this requirement, documentation of actual expenses would be, required. The City- Attorney' s Office has also noted that if payments exceed actual expenses, this , may create tax implications as excess amounts would then become compensation. In turn, the excess payment would also be in conflict with the Government Code Section limiting compensation. If the City Council wishes to proceed with a flat amount reimbursement for expenses, it would be appropriate. to direct Staff to prepare the necessary resolution and administrative procedures . Staff recommends that . the City Council conduct a public hearing, waive the reading and adopt the ordinance. COPIES TO: . • ITEM NO. 6. , 7 ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 6 AND PROVIDING FOR AN INCREASE OF THE SALARY FOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL The City Council of the City of Dublin does ordain as follows: Section 1: PURPOSE Ordinance No. 6 establishes salaries for members of the Council, as amended by Ordinance No. 22-85, Ordinance No. 8-87, and Ordinance No. 4-88. the purpose of this ordinance is to modify salaries for members of the City Council in accordance with the Government Code Section 36516. Section 2: AMENDMENT Ordinance No. 6, as amended by Ordinance No. 22-85, Ordinance No. 8-87, and Ordinance No. 4-88 is hereby amended by adding the following language: "The said $300 shall be increased in an amount equal to 5% for calendar year 1989. " Section 3 : No Council member shall be eligible to receive the increase provided herein until one or more Council member- begins a new terms of office. Section 4 : EFFECTIVE DATE AND POSTING OF ORDINANCE This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days from and after the date of its passage. The City Clerk of the City of Dublin shall cause this Ordinance to be posted in at least three (3) public places in the City of Dublin in accordance with Section 36933 of the Government Code of the State of California. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Dublin on this day of March, 1989, by the following vote: AYES: NOES : ABSENT: Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk • • • MEYERE3, NAVE, RIBACK &WEST MICHAEL R,NAVE APROFEe cp.AL LAW COAPORATI01, PFNIry$41LA OFE I' STEVEN R.MEYERS NATALIE E.WEST GATEWAY PLAZA 1220 HOWARD AVE.SUITE 250 ELIZABETH n.SILVER 777 DAMS STREET.SUITE 304. BURL:NGA5) f A 94010.4211 MICHAEL S RI9AC,1, SAN LEANDRO.CALIFORNIA 94577 (a 15) )342- 8 MOLLY T.TAMI (415)351.4300 FAX(415)392-0688 ANNE S.IIUDOE FAX(415)351-4481 MICHAEL F.RODRIGUEj NIN nFFlGE 1202 GRANT AVE..SUITE E OF cot)NgEI NOVATO.CA 94945 THOMAS F.BERTRAND 141.5}692.9678 San RLPedAdro MEMORANDUM • TO: Richard Ambrose, City Manager DATE: March 7, 1989 FROM: Elizabeth H. Silver, • Assistant City Attorney • RE: Reimbursement for Council Expenses - One Council member recently asked whether the .Council members can be reimbursed for automobile expenses in a flat amount per month. Government Code § 36514.5 provides that Council members may be reimbursed for "actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties.► . The Council may, by resolution, fix an amount which it determines to be actually and necessarily expended- each month by the Mayor and Council members for expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. Aibright y city, South Sari Francisco (1975) 44 Cal.App.3d 866, 118 Cal.Rptr. 901, 902 . Such a determination would probably be upheld by a court. 14. If the • Council were to pass such a resolution, . however, the amount received would be subject to audit under Government Code $ 37201 et. seq. to verify that the funds received were actually and necessarily required. 118 Cal.Rptr. at 903. Finally, to the extent that the amount which is set by Council resolution .as being actually and necessarily expended is in fact in excess of actual amounts expended, Council members may have to pay income tax on the amount of compensation, that amount' being compensation as opposed to reimbursement for expenses. The Internal Revenue Service may require records to prove that the amount received was reimbursement for actual expenses. EHS:rc Eliza eth H. Silver