Chapter 2.05
COUNCIL SALARY COMMISSION
Sections:
2.05.020 Commission membership.
2.05.030 Appointment of members – Terms.
2.05.040 Resignation, removal and vacancy.
2.05.010 Commission created.
There is hereby created a city of Puyallup council salary commission. The word “commission” shall be deemed to mean the city of Puyallup council salary commission whenever used in this chapter. (Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).
2.05.020 Commission membership.
(1) The membership of the commission shall consist of five members.
(2) Each member shall be a resident of Puyallup.
(3) Each member shall be a registered voter.
(4) Members shall serve without compensation.
(5) Officers, officials, and employees of the city and their immediate family members shall not be eligible to serve on the commission. For the purposes of this section, “immediate family member” shall mean a parent, stepparent, in-law, spouse, sibling, stepsibling, child, stepchild, or dependent relative of the officer, official, or employee, whether or not living in the household of the officer, official, or employee. (Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).
2.05.030 Appointment of members – Terms.
(1) Members of the commission shall be appointed by the mayor, subject to confirmation by the council.
(2) Prior to consideration for appointment, each candidate shall complete the form entitled “Biographical Information for Appointed Citizen Boards/Commissions/Committees,” or any similar form as required by the council.
(3) Members shall serve a full four-year term, or the remainder of an unexpired term, as the case may be.
(4) No person shall serve more than two terms. Unexpired terms shall not count toward this limitation, except when a membership position becomes vacant while the person holds the position. The two-term limit shall not be construed to create an entitlement to a second term of membership on the commission.
(5) A full term shall commence on the first Wednesday in March and shall expire four years thereafter on the Tuesday immediately preceding the first Wednesday in March.
(6) Terms shall be staggered so that approximately half of the terms expire every two years. Specifically, two terms shall expire in one year, and three terms shall expire two years thereafter. (Ord. 3139 § 1 (Exh. A), 2017; Ord. 3070 § 1, 2014; Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).
2.05.040 Resignation, removal and vacancy.
(1) Pursuant to RCW 42.12.020, a member resignation shall be made to the city council. In accordance with RCW 42.12.010(2), a member resignation shall be deemed to occur upon the effective date of the resignation.
(2) Members may be removed prior to the expiration of their term by a majority vote of the city council but only for cause of incapacity, incompetence, neglect of duty, malfeasance in office, or for a disqualifying change in residence or voter status.
(3) A commission position shall become vacant for the same reasons applicable to elective offices in Chapter 42.12 RCW and council positions in RCW 35A.12.060.
(4) Prior to a third consecutive absence, a member may request that the commission excuse one or more absences. The commission shall determine the validity of the request, and approve or deny the request.
(5) Vacant positions shall be filled by mayoral appointment, subject to confirmation of the council. (Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).
2.05.050 Meetings.
(1) The commission shall meet no less than three times each year: once during the months of February or March; once during June or July; and at least once during the months of October or November of each year. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the chair of the commission or by a majority vote of the commission. At least one of the meetings shall include a public hearing to provide an opportunity for the public, the mayor, deputy mayor, or city council members to address the commission.
(2) Meetings of the commission shall be open and public pursuant to Chapter 42.30 RCW and shall be held in the same location as that of regularly scheduled council meetings, unless the public notice for any meeting specifies another location.
(3) A quorum for conducting business shall be a simple majority of the membership of the commission.
(4) Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern commission meetings, and the commission may adopt additional suitable rules of procedure.
(5) The public shall be notified of upcoming commission meetings and the preliminary agenda for each meeting. Such notice may include, but is not limited to, written notification to the city’s official newspaper, publication of a notice in the official newspaper, posting of upcoming meeting agendas, or such other processes as the commission determines will satisfy the intent of this requirement. (Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).
2.05.060 Officers.
(1) The commission shall elect from among its membership a chairperson and vice chairperson, and such other officers as it deems necessary. The term of office shall be one year. Officers shall be elected at the first meeting that occurs on or follows the first Wednesday in March.
(2) The chairperson shall preside at meetings and shall rule on all points of procedure.
(3) If the office of the chairperson becomes vacant, the vice chairperson shall assume the responsibilities of said office and shall serve in said capacity until the commission elects officers during the next term. In the event such a vacancy occurs, the commission shall elect a new vice chairperson who shall serve until the commission elects officers during the next term. (Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).
2.05.070 Powers and duties.
(1) The commission shall have the authority to raise and lower salaries of the council. A council salary increase or decrease shall occur only if members, numbering a majority of the whole commission, vote in favor of the increase or decrease.
(2) Prior to a commission vote to raise or lower salaries, residents of the city shall have an opportunity to comment or submit comments in writing. An opportunity for comments shall be conducted in a manner that is consistent with the procedure used at regularly scheduled meetings of the council.
(3) Prior to a commission vote to raise or lower salaries, the commission may request additional financial information and other relevant data, other than that information provided in subsection (4) of this section, from the city manager, who shall be responsible for providing staff support to the commission.
(4) The city clerk shall provide the commission with and the commission shall consider information regarding salaries paid to city council members from comparable cities, which shall be comprised of cities with a council-manager form of government and have populations within a 25 percent range of Puyallup’s and be located in King, Kitsap, Pierce, Thurston or Snohomish Counties. The salary review commission wishes to review the Office of Financial Management website annually to ensure that cities qualify as comparable cities through application of the formula set forth in this subsection.
(5) A decision by the commission to raise or lower the salary of the council shall be final, shall be filed with the city clerk, and shall be incorporated into the city budget without further action of the council or commission. Any change of salary by the commission shall supersede any ordinance or resolution in effect at the time the salaries are changed but only to the extent of such conflict.
(6) Salary increases established by the commission shall immediately be applied to the salaries of all members of the council, regardless of the remaining portion of their term of office.
(7) Salary decreases established by the commission shall not be applied to the salaries of incumbent council members until the commencement of their next term of office. (Ord. 3176 § 2, 2018; Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).
2.05.080 State law adopted.
To the extent that it is applicable to the provisions of this title, RCW 35.21.015 is adopted by reference, and shall be in effect in the city of Puyallup. (Ord. 3001 § 1, 2012).