Port Townsend City Council addresses compensation during workshop

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If money talks, it’s only a whisper to those who are elected to serve on the Port Townsend City Council.

But if the city wants to see more diversity in its representatives, they’re going to have to pump up the volume.

The value of time — whether councilmembers should be better compensated for theirs — was a topic of council interest during its April 12 workshop.

Most of the council said they supported a re-evaluation of their salaries.

A common refrain among the councilmembers is the notion that an increase to compensation would serve to attract a more diverse crowd to seek a city council seat, instead of only those who can afford to devote the time necessary to council duties.

“If we ever really want true diversity, we have to recognize the value of time,” said Councilmember Amy Howard.

Using a single mother who has a full-time job as an example, Howard estimated the current demands of serving on the city council would likely be prohibitive for all but the most stubbornly civic-minded candidates.

“Because of the amount of time it takes up, the weirdness of schedules, the lack of pay, the likelihood that that person could succeed in the role is small,” she said.     

Howard said her role on the council often comes with a tangible cost, resulting from the breaks she must take from her day jobs to tend to council affairs.

The lack of decent compensation, she added, was also the reason why she couldn’t dedicate more time to taking on additional leadership positions within the council.

“I ran for city council because Port Townsend basically saved my life,” Howard said. “I wanted to give back to my community.”

Howard said she wanted to serve following her time spent as a homeless youth. But when she made the decision to run for the city council, she didn’t fully understand the depths of the commitment.

Howard said she devotes hours to learning about the various issues addressed by the city, all in an effort to remain an informed representative. Illustrating her point, she cited her summer 2020 reading list: training manuals for the Port Townsend Police Department.

Despite having to juggle two day jobs “to support her council habit,” Howard still placed the benefit of attracting a more diverse council well ahead of any desire to be better paid for her work on the dais.

Councilmembers are currently paid $500 per month or $6,000 annually; the mayor receives $750 per month or $9,000 annually.

As a comparison, the city of Poulsbo — which has an estimated population of 10,602, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — pays its city councilmembers $750 per month or $9,000 annually. 

The city of Port Angeles, which has an estimated population of 19,832, roughly twice the size of Port Townsend’s population, pays its councilmembers $550 per month. 

Councilmember David Faber said the lack of adequate compensation for city councilmembers serves to only attract wealthy people who have the time to dedicate to such endeavors. That, and folks who otherwise have an “ax to grind.”

Councilmember Pamela Adams pushed back at Faber’s characterization.

“I don’t agree with David’s two categories,” Adams said. “I don’t think anybody on this council today could fit into those categories and I think there’s just a lot of people out there who really care about helping their communities to thrive.”

“I also agree completely; I have to work, even though I am semi-retired,” Adams said. “This $500-a-month really helps with my ability to live here. Even though it seems like a little amount for what we do, so I’m very grateful for it, actually.”

“I think that we aren’t going to be talking about someone being able to have a living wage. I mean, it’s still a part-time job and we’re just hoping we can get to a point where it’s not going to cost you anything to be a city councilmember,” Adams added.   

Nora Mitchell, Port Townsend’s finance director, presented two paths available for approving compensation changes. Salary changes may be enacted by a majority vote but will not take effect until the new term starts for each council position that voted upon the change.

Second, salaries may be set by a salary commission — not the elected officials — and can be implemented within the term of the serving councilmembers.

Mitchell noted that salary increases recommended by the commission could take effect immediately but decreases would have to wait until the next term for each council seat.

As for a potential timeline for establishing a commission to review councilmember salaries and implement the pay changes into the city budget, Mitchell said the commission could possibly be established in May.

A decision could be ready by September.