Trish Kelley & Frank Ury Seek 100% 'Pay' Raise

    In 20 years no MV City Council has shown the audacity to give themselves a pay raise for a volunteer position.  Until now it has been sufficient for councilmembers to have the honor, privilege and trust to serve the public as part-time elected officials. It was a bonus for them to also have the opportunity to achieve related personal goals, ambitions and public recognition.

    Council Members have received a $500 monthly stipend since the city was incorporated.  But candidates have always insisted the stipend had nothing to do with their reasons for seeking the position. Many citizens stand ready to serve without pay if the arrogance of incumbents causes them to be dissatisfied with their offices.

    A couple months ago Mayor Kelley appointed herself and Frank Ury as a two-member Ad Hoc Committee on compensation for councilmembers.  The committee operated secretly without public access.

    On Monday an agenda item will emerge allowing the council to vote to double their pay. The issue is disguised, listing the City Manager as submitting the written report and listing the verbal report under the City Attorney.  There is no mention of Kelley or Ury, nor the Ad Hoc Committee.  Is hiding a sign of guilt?

    State law limits compensation increases to 5% annually, so another trick is afoot.  The report suggests adding 5% for each of the past 20 years when no increase was enacted.  Five percent stacked for 20 years equals 100%, or a doubling of the stipend.  If that seems to circumvent the intent of the law, it perhaps reveals the devious mindset at City Hall.

    Mission Viejo already has the third-highest compensated council members out of 24 other cities surveyed for the report.  But the staff report tries to cover-up that fact by failing to calculate total compensation (last column on Dispatch chart).  

    But only Mission Viejo and Huntington Beach provide medical coverage.  Mission Viejo allows council members to elect to take the medical premium as cash when they leave the council, instead of receiving coverage.  The medical premium paid by MV for a member is currently $825-$925 per month depending on family size.  A council member electing to take the premium as “deferred compensation” will receive about $10,000, plus interest, for each year they serve on the Council (in addition to their stipend). Over $120,000 extra cash will be received by a council person serving for the 12-year limit.  

    It appears there might be an attempt to fog the issue on the agenda, which The agenda lists the item as “Consideration of Introduction of Ordinance, City Council Salary Amendment Pursuant to Statute.” Doesn’t that sound like a routine action simply to comply with current law?  If so, it’s probably intentional to camouflage the action.

    Council members also receive other income and perks:

• For each council meeting with a redevelopment issue, an additional $50 stipend is received.
• Other agencies on which council members sit as city representatives pay a per-meeting stipend.  Those agencies include the OC Fire Authority, Two Tollroad Agencies, Joint Insurance Agency, Vector Control, and others, with stipends of $50 to $120 per meeting.  The agencies frequently have executive boards and subcommittees which create another layer of stipends.
• Council members have access to city-paid conferences at top-rated resorts in locations like Monterrey, Santa Barbara, etc.  Due to their positions they are guests at high-brow functions in prime facilities around the county.
• All cities reimburse councilmembers for transportation and other necessary expenses for city related business. 

    A frequent tactic is to over-propose so a fall-back position for a smaller increase appears more humble, which could occur on this matter. But neither a penney nor a pound should prevail. The issue of higher stipends isn’t a major financial issue, but is a major character issue – for the council and the city.  Good government at the local community level has always been based on the character and dedication of volunteer citizens, not on self-serving officials.