The Langley City Council discussed a proposed 2022 budget which includes a projected 6.3% cost-of-living adjustment for all city employees and a $25,000 increase in the Mayor’s pay from $55k to $80K. The budget also included a proposal to double the $50-per-month stipend each city councilmember recieves.
Langley Finance Director Monica Felici said the city’s general fund could not support all the increases.
Councilmember Dominique Emerson is opposed to the increases stating “the mayor ran with an understanding of our current level of salary (and) I think his salary should go up at the same rate as other peoples salaries, the same kind of increase.” She also said she was not in favor of increasing the councilmembers stipend nor was she in favor of hiring the proposed Administrative Assistant, saying “it’s like taking blood out of a turnip.”
Councilmember Gill agreed.
Councilmember Cyr suggested giving the mayor at least a $10k increase saying “probably the mayor didn’t understand the level of work that it was going to take to clean up a number of things.”
Councilmember Peter Morton asked for a study on the pay for all city staff.
The council decided citizen-led Dismantling Systemic Racism advisory group and the ad-hoc Climate Crises Action Committee should get $5,000 each.
Finance Director Monica Felici said she will have another budget proposal for the November 1 meeting. For more details, see the story by Kira Erickson.
On the ballot on November 2 – Langley City Council:
- Position 1 – Kay Kenneweg vs Harolynne Bobis –Incumbent Christy Korrow not running
- Position 2 – Rhonda Salerno running unopposed – Incumbent Dominique Emerson not running
- Position 5 – Tony Gill vs Gail Fleming – Incumbent Peter Morton not running
