Chapter 2.65
COMPENSATION

Sections:

2.65.005    Independent salary commission.

2.65.010    Repealed.

2.65.020    Repealed.

2.65.030    Travel reimbursements.

2.65.040    Town employee salary ranges.

2.65.050    Town employee compensation in the event of town closure.

2.65.005 Independent salary commission.

(1) Established. There is hereby created and established a salary commission.

(2) Purpose. The independent salary commission shall review and establish the salaries of the mayor and councilmembers and exercise the powers and perform the duties and perform the functions identified in RCW 35.21.015.

(3) Membership.

(a) The salary commission shall have five members, who shall be appointed by the mayor with approval of the council for a four-year term, not to exceed two terms.

(b) If, for any reason, a vacancy occurs during the term of an independent salary commission member, the mayor shall appoint, with the approval of the town council, a new member to fill the unexpired term of that member.

(c) No officer, official or employee of the town or any of their immediate family members may serve on the commission. “Immediate family member” as used in this section means the parents, spouse, siblings, children, or dependent relatives of the officer, official, or employee, whether or not living in the household of the officer, official, or employee.

(4) Powers.

(a) The salary commission shall set the salaries for elected officials of the town. The commission shall convene and review the salaries of the elected officials once every four years or sooner where directed to do so by a majority vote of the town council.

(b) Any change in salary shall be filed by the commission in a written report to the town clerk and shall become effective and incorporated into the town budget without further action of the town council or salary commission.

(c) Salary increases established by the commission shall be effective as to incumbent town elected officials, regardless of their terms in office.

(d) Salary decreases established by the commission shall become effective as to incumbent town elected officials at the commencement of their next subsequent terms of office.

(e) Commission action fixing the salaries of elected officials of the town pursuant to this chapter shall supersede any provision of any other town ordinance related to such salaries.

(5) Referendum.

(a) Salary increases and decreases shall be subject to referendum petition by the people of the town in the same manner as a town ordinance upon filing of such petition with the town clerk within 30 days after filing of the salary schedule. In the event of the filing of a valid referendum petition, the salary increase or decrease shall not go into effect until approved by vote of the people.

(b) Referendum measures under this section shall be submitted to the voters of the town at the next following general or municipal election occurring 30 days or more after the petition is filed, and shall be otherwise governed by the provisions of the general laws applicable to referendum measures. [Ord. 1043 § 2, 2010.]

2.65.010 Mayoral.

Repealed by Ord. 1043. [Ord. 922 § 1, 2004; Ord. 604 § 1, 1991.]

2.65.020 Councilmember.

Repealed by Ord. 1043. [Ord. 604 § 2, 1991.]

2.65.030 Travel reimbursements.

(1) The town shall reimburse town employees/officials for business-related mileage at the rates set forth annually by the Internal Revenue Service. This reimbursement will not apply to normal daily travel.

(2) The town shall reimburse town employees/officials for other travel-related expenses including lodging, meals, and necessary supplies/expenses when evidenced by receipts.

(3) The expenses claimed shall be directly related to the travel-related official business, shall only relate to expenses incurred by the employee/official, shall not include any expenses related to other nonemployees/officials, and shall not include any tips or gratuities.

(4) The town administrator shall have authority to review and approve/disapprove of these reimbursements including the determination of the reasonableness and necessity of the claimed expenses. [Ord. 754 § 1, 1999.]

2.65.040 Town employee salary ranges.

Exempt and hourly employees shall be hired by the mayor and employed by the town, using the following salary ranges to establish initial salary levels; thereafter, salary ranges may be used to compensate exempt and hourly employees for exemplary service on behalf of the town; and the town shall review these salary ranges every four years to assure their continued appropriateness:

Position (Exempt)

Salary Range

Administrator

$55,000 – $70,000

Public Works Director

$45,000 – $60,000

Finance Director

$45,000 – $60,000

Planning Director

$45,000 – $60,000

 

 

Position (Hourly)

Salary Range

Deputy Clerk

$35,000 – $45,000

Planning Assistant (part-time)

$14,000 – $24,000

Staff Assistant (part-time)

$14,000 – $18,000

Code Enforcement Officer (part-time)

$6,000 – $7,000

[Ord. 995 § 1, 2007.]

2.65.050 Town employee compensation in the event of town closure.

In the event of the closure of town offices and/or the late opening due to severe weather conditions or other extraordinary events when employees are told to go home or not to come into work, these official town closures will be considered paid time off.

However, during times of inclement weather or natural disaster, it is essential that the town continue to provide vital public services such as police, fire services, certain public works services and wastewater treatment services. For services that must continue, the mayor or town administrator, working with the department head, will determine the level of staffing required and the process by which it is decided which employees can be released and which must remain on duty. Otherwise employees are expected to report to work as usual unless excused by the mayor or the administrator. Individual decisions not to report to work due to any of the above conditions will be viewed as leave without pay or vacation leave.

Further, in the event that the duration of the severe weather conditions or other extraordinary events is deemed significant by the mayor, the mayor may terminate his decision to pay some or all employees for time away from the office. [Ord. 995 § 2, 2007.]