Commission, committee, Board members to get paid
PALMDALE — The City Council, on Wednesday, agreed to begin paying members of the city’s various commissions, committees and boards for attending meetings.
The Council agreed to paying members $100, per meeting, with a maximum of two meetings per month. The chair of any commission, committee or board would receive an additional $50, per month.
With the city’s current commissions, committees and boards, the payments will cost the city $34,800, annually; the cost will be $17,400 for the remainder of this fiscal year.
Three commissions and boards already receive payments: Planning commissioners receive $100, per meeting, for a maximum of two meetings, per month (they regularly meet, once a month), the Housing Authority Tenant Commissioners receive $100 per meeting for a maximum of two meetings, per month (they meet as needed, often with the City Council), and the Mobile Home Park Review Board members receive $100 for each meeting and the chair receives $150, per meeting (the Board meets, annually).
The payment schedule passed on a 4-0 vote. Councilmember Austin Bishop was absent.
The matter of payment for positions that have been voluntary was previously suggested at a Council meeting, on Sept. 7, when staff was directed to bring back information on other cities’ practices and cost estimate.
In a review of six other Los Angeles County cities, primarily in the Los Angeles area, staff found that few offered stipends for attending meetings. Santa Clarita, the city closest to Palmdale for which data was provided, members of the three boards and commissions receive $183.29, per meeting.
Establishing the payments required an ordinance, which also repealed existing portions of the Municipal Code related to the Planning Commission and the Mobile Home Park Review Board regarding payment on those entities.
The ordinance also allows for members to waive the stipend if they so choose.
With regular payments for meetings, “these individuals will become essentially city staff members,” Interim City Manager Ronda Perez said. This means they must complete a background check, pay into retirement and other payroll taxes, as well as file financial forms and complete ethics training, she said.
Mayor Laura Bettencourt requested the ordinance also include payment for training, at the same $100 rate as meetings. This is in addition to the two meetings per month maximum.
Resident Phil Denny not only supported paying commission and other members, but he felt the amount discussed was too low.
“$100 is a start, but it needs to be $250,” he said.
Resident Jason Zink agreed that the amount was too low. Payment is needed to encourage people to serve on commissions and boards, as well as attend the meetings.