Chapter 2.32
SALARIES
Sections:
2.32.020 City manager – Salary policy.
2.32.045 Vehicle expense – Councilmembers.
2.32.055 Vehicle expense – Mayor.
2.32.058 Councilmember health benefits.
2.32.090 Official expenditures.
2.32.100 City attorney, city prosecutor.
2.32.020 City manager – Salary policy.
In determining the starting salary of the city manager, the council shall consider his training, experience, performance in the position and other qualifications. [Ord. 130 § 1.02; Ord. 29-93].
2.32.040 Councilmembers.
The monthly compensation of each member of the council, whether a new or incumbent member, is as follows: 2023, $1,253; 2024, $1,269; 2025, $1,329; 2026, $1,396; and 2027, $1,424; provided, however, that nothing herein shall cause an increase or decrease to the compensation of any member of the council after his or her election or during the term of office or any unexpired term of office, to which such member of the council is appointed or elected. City council shall establish council salary based on the annual increase, if any, in the compensation plan for unaffiliated employees wage table, maintaining a four-year schedule.
All members of the council who participate in the Washington Public Employees’ Retirement System shall provide a written certification to human resources, detailing a monthly calculation of the number of hours of service they provide to the city of Richland each year. This record shall be maintained in the human resources department for auditing purposes as generally required in Chapter 41.40 RCW. [Ord. 8; Ord. 68-74; Ord. 106-79; Ord. 70-81; Ord. 40-98; Ord. 09-01; Ord. 41-02; Ord. 40-03; Ord. 36-04; Ord. 37-05; Ord. 31-06; Ord. 29-07; Ord. 09-08; Ord. 21-08; Ord. 32-09 § 1.01; Ord. 32-10 § 1.01; Ord. 29-11 § 1.01; Ord. 35-12 § 1.01; Ord. 33-13 § 1.01; Ord. 01-15 § 1.01; Ord. 01-15A § 1.01; Ord. 77-15 § 1; Ord. 77A-15 § 1; Ord. 70-16 § 1; Ord. 56-17 § 1; Ord. 67-18 § 1; Ord. 62-19 § 1; Ord. 49-20 § 1; Ord. 46-21 § 1; Ord. 2022-29 § 2; Ord. 2022-42 § 1; Ord. 2023-34 § 1].
2.32.045 Vehicle expense – Councilmembers.
In recognition of the expenses incurred by councilmembers by use of their private vehicles for official city business within the Tri-City areas of Richland, Kennewick and Pasco, councilmembers shall receive an allowance to reimburse such councilmembers for these vehicle expenses.
The city specifically finds that this allowance is more cost effective than providing official vehicles for councilmembers or requiring expense vouchers. The amount of said vehicle expense allowance shall be based upon the assumption that each councilmember uses a private vehicle for travel in the amount of 150 miles in each month for councilmembers and 300 miles in each month for the mayor multiplied times the per-mile rate as established for the state of Washington by the state Director of Financial Management. Official business trips by councilmembers, by personally owned vehicle or otherwise, outside the Tri-City area, shall be reimbursed by the city on a per-trip basis according to the prevailing policies and standards for reimbursement to city employees. [Ord. 68-74 § 1.02; Ord. 66-83; Ord. 21-92].
2.32.050 Mayor.
In addition to compensation received as a member of the council, the mayor shall receive additional compensation in the sum of $250.00 per month during each and every month of his or her term as mayor; provided, however, that nothing herein shall cause an increase or decrease to the compensation of the mayor after his or her election or during his or her term of office as mayor, or any unexpired term of office as mayor, to which any member of the council is appointed, elected or succeeds pursuant to Section 2.06 of the City Charter. [Ord. 8 § 1.02; Ord. 68-74 § 1.03; Ord. 106-79 § 1.02; Ord. 40-98; Ord. 09-01].
2.32.055 Vehicle expense – Mayor.
In recognition of the expenses incurred by the mayor by use of a private vehicle for official duties representing the city within the Tri-City area of Richland, Kennewick and Pasco, and in addition to the reimbursement received as a councilmember, the mayor shall receive an allowance to reimburse the mayor for use of a private vehicle on official business. The city specifically finds this allowance is more cost effective than providing an official vehicle or requiring expense vouchers. The amount of said vehicle expense allowance shall be $50.00 per month in addition to the vehicle expense allowance received as a councilmember. Official business trips by the mayor in his personally owned vehicle or otherwise, outside the Tri-City area, shall be reimbursed by the city on a per-trip basis according to the prevailing policies and standards for reimbursement to city employees. [Ord. 68-74 § 1.04; Ord. 66-83].
2.32.058 Councilmember health benefits.
For those councilmembers eligible to receive said benefits, councilmembers will be provided access to medical, dental and vision health benefits as they are made available to unaffiliated city employees. Health benefit insurance premiums for councilmembers shall be paid as follows: vision and dental insurance premiums shall be 100 percent city-paid; medical insurance premiums shall be 88 percent city-paid and 12 percent councilmember-paid. Consistent with RCW 41.04.190, the total council remuneration shall not change as a result of access to health benefits under this section. [Ord. 37-01; Ord. 06-17 § 1].
2.32.090 Official expenditures.
Officers and employees of the city shall be entitled to reimbursement for the following classes of official expenditures:
A. Necessary out-of-pocket expenditures, within or without the city, made, with the specific written approval of the city manager, for purposes which principally promote, develop or publicize the city’s best interests, including the sales promotional and institutional activities of its municipal utilities;
B. Expenditures made, with like approval, for transportation, meals, lodging and other related items associated with attendance at sessions of the Washington State Legislature, or in connection with appearing before or conferring with any individual, group or committee of state legislators or other persons at Olympia or elsewhere for the purpose of presenting data, exchanging information and otherwise consulting on matters of mutual concern in the development of intergovernmental understanding and cooperation, for the proper evaluation of legislative programs affecting the municipality, and for such other purposes as may promote or tend to promote the best interests and general welfare of the city;
C. The cost of meals incurred, with like approval, within the city, by officers and employees of the city while they are conferring, consulting or meeting with noncity specialists, technicians or executives, or others, for purposes generally associated with the routine official duties of such city personnel, where not covered by other provisions of this code. [Ord. 234 § 1.01; Ord. 811 § 1.01].
2.32.100 City attorney, city prosecutor.
The city attorney and the city prosecutor shall be paid salaries provided in the annual budget of the city. [Ord. 275 § 1.01; Ord. 37-01].