HomeMy WebLinkAbout4169AN ORDINANCE of the City Council of the
City of Kent, Washington, repealing Chapter 2.58 of
the Kent City Code, entitled "Independent Salary
Commission."
RECITALS
A. On March 3, 2015, the city council passed Ordinance No.
4142 establishing an independent salary commission to review, establish,
increase, or decrease mayor and councilmembers' salaries.
B. In accordance with Ordinance No. 4142, the independent
salary commission established a salary schedule for the city's mayor, city
council president, and the councilmembers.
C. The salary commission's schedule took effect on August 3,
2015, at the end of the period when a referendum petition could have
been filed. The schedule includes adjustments to current mayor and
councilmember salaries and incorporates a 2.5% fixed upward annual
adjustment.
D. The salary commission has expressed that, with the fixed
upward annual adjustment, mayor, council president and councilmember
salaries should stay in line with inflation trends for years to come, so the
commission moved to disband.
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E. Pursuant to Article Al. Section VIII, of the Washington State
Constitution, elected city official salaries cannot be diminished while in
office, nor can elected city officials fix or raise their own compensation
during their term in office pursuant to Article XXX of the Washington State
Constitution. Accordingly, the schedule in place is fixed for the mayor and
councilmembers. This includes the annual 2.5% upward adjustment,
which will remain in effect unless and until raised or lowered in the manner
allowed by the state constitution.
F. Because long-term salary concerns are likely addressed,
barring an extraordinary increase or decrease in inflation, the commission
further recommends council repeal the establishment of the salary
commission created pursuant to Ordinance No. 4142, keeping the salary
schedule, including the annual 2.5% upward adjustment, in place as
originally established by the commission.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT,
WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS.
ORDINANCE
SECTION 1. -Repeal Ordinance No. 4j42. Upon the effective date
of this ordinance, Ordinance No. 4142 is hereby repealed in its entirety.
The salary schedule, including the annual 2.5% upward adjustment, which
is validly established and set in place by the salary commission, will
continue as the salary established for the mayor, council president, and
councilmembers unless and until amended as authorized by the
constitution and laws of the State of Washington.
SECTION 2. —Severability. If any one or more section, subsection,
or sentence of this ordinance is held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such
decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this
ordinance and the same shall remain in full force and effect.
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SECTION 3. - Savings. The existing Chapter 2.58 of the Kent City
Code, which is repealed by this ordinance, shall remain in full force and
effect until the effective date of this ordinance.
SECTION 4, -Corrections by City Clerk or Code Reviser. Upon
approval of the city attorney, the city clerk and the code reviser are
authorized to make necessary corrections to this ordinance, including the
correction of clerical errors; ordinance, section, or subsection numbering;
or references to other local, state, or federal laws, codes, rules, or
regulations.
SECTION 5. -Effective Date. This ordinance shall take effect and
be in force thirty days from and after its passage, as provided by law.
SUZE
TT COOKE, MAYOR
ATTEST:
NALD F. RE, CITY CLE
APPROVED AS TO FORM
TC�'1 BRUBAKER, CITY ATTORNEY
PASSED: � day of� , 2015.
APPROVED: day of 71 WZer , 2015.
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PUBLISHED: A day of �' , 2015.
I hereby certify that this is a true copy of Ordinance No.
passed by the City Council %J the City of Kent, Washington, and approved
by the Mayor of the City of Kent as hereondicated.n
P:\Civil\Ordinance\Repeal 2.56 -Salary Commission.docx
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