Chapter 1.62
SALARY COMMISSION
Sections:
1.62.010 Salary commission established.
1.62.030 Commission member qualifications.
1.62.040 Commission member terms.
1.62.010 Salary commission established.
A salary commission is hereby established to review, establish, and adjust the salaries for the councilmembers of the city, and to exercise powers and to perform the duties established by RCW 35.21.015, as it now exists or is hereafter amended. The commission shall consist of three members, who shall serve without compensation. The mayor, or their designee, will appoint appropriate city staff to assist the commission. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))
1.62.020 Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall be defined as stated below:
(1) “Action” or “final action” has the same meaning as stated in RCW 42.30.020, as it now appears or is hereafter amended.
(2) “City” means the city of Wenatchee.
(3) “Commission” means the salary commission.
(4) “Councilmember” means any elected or appointed member of the city council for the city of Wenatchee.
(5) “Mayor” means the elected or appointed mayor of the city of Wenatchee.
(6) “Meeting” has the same meaning as stated in RCW 42.30.020, as it now appears or is hereafter amended.
(7) “Plan documents” means the official documents, laws or regulations that detail the requirements to qualify for any insurance benefit (such as health, dental or life), any retirement benefit (such as a deferred compensation program), or any other employment benefit (such as a flexible spending account).
(8) “Quorum” means three members of the commission.
(9) “Salary” means any fixed compensation paid or provided periodically for work or services and includes, but is not limited to, wages or other monetary payments to the councilmembers (such as a city-paid match to a deferred compensation plan), and insurance, retirement, or other employment benefits; provided, that if any benefit has plan documents, the councilmembers must qualify under the plan documents to receive the benefit. This definition expressly excludes any expenses paid by the city, or reimbursed to a councilmember, for training or travel expenses. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))
1.62.030 Commission member qualifications.
(1) Members of the commission must be a resident of the city and a registered voter of Chelan County.
(2) No officer, official, or employee of the city or any of their immediate family members may serve as members of the commission. “Immediate family member” as used in this subsection 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. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))
1.62.040 Commission member terms.
(1) Appointment. Members of the commission shall be appointed by the mayor subject to confirmation by the city council, in conformance with RCW 35.21.015 as it now exists or is hereafter amended. No member may be appointed to more than two terms on the commission, whether or not those terms are held consecutively.
(2) Terms. Members of the commission shall serve for a term of three years, except that the initial members shall be appointed for staggered terms as follows:
(a) Position one: one year;
(b) Position two: two years; and
(c) Position three: three years.
(3) Removal. The mayor may remove members from the commission for cause. For cause includes:
(a) A member’s incapacity, incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office;
(b) A member is no longer qualified to serve pursuant to WCC 1.62.030.
(4) Vacancy. In the event of a vacancy in a position on the commission, the mayor shall appoint, subject to approval of the city council, a person to serve the unexpired portion of the term of the vacated position. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))
1.62.050 Commission duties.
The commission shall have the following duties:
(1) To review the salaries paid by the city to the councilmembers.
(2) To study the relationship of salaries to the duties of the councilmembers.
(3) To establish a written salary schedule that includes salaries for the councilmembers. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))
1.62.060 Salary schedule.
(1) The chair of the commission shall file the salary schedule each year with the city clerk within three business days after it is established by the commission; provided, that the filing occurs by the fifteenth day of October each year.
(2) Any increase or decrease in salary as stated in the salary schedule shall become effective and incorporated into the city budget without further action of the city council or the commission.
(3) Any salary increases as stated in the salary schedule shall be effective as to the councilmembers, regardless of their term of office. Unless otherwise authorized by the commission, salary increases shall take effect on the first day of January after the salary schedule is filed with the city clerk.
(4) Any salary decreases as stated in the salary schedule shall be effective as to incumbent councilmembers at the commencement of their next subsequent terms of office.
(5) The salary schedule that is filed with the city clerk shall supersede any other provision of state statute or city ordinance related to municipal budgets or the fixing of salaries, but only to the extent that the state statute or city ordinance is in conflict with the salary schedule. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))
1.62.070 Open meetings.
(1) The commission shall meet each year at noon on the second Tuesday in September at City Hall, where a chair of the commission shall be elected. The commission may also have additional meetings, as often as necessary, in order to establish the salary schedule.
(2) Any meetings of the commission shall be subject to the Open Public Meetings Act, pursuant to Chapter 42.30 RCW, as the Act now appears or is hereafter amended.
(3) A quorum must be present for the commission to hold a meeting.
(4) The vote of two members of the commission shall be sufficient for action or final action of all matters for the commission.
(5) The commission has the power and authority to adopt rules of procedure for its meetings. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))
1.62.080 Referendum.
(1) Any salary increase or decrease established by the commission pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to referendum petition by the people of the city, in the same manner as a city ordinance, upon filing of a referendum petition with the city clerk within 30 days after filing of a salary schedule by the commission. In the event of the filing of a valid referendum petition, the salary increase or decrease shall not go into effect until approved by a vote of the people.
(2) Referendum measures under this section shall be submitted to the voters of the city at the next following general or municipal election occurring 30 days or more after the petition is filed, and shall otherwise be governed by the provisions of the state constitution, or city charter, or the laws generally applicable to referendum measures. (Ord. 2023-04 § 1 (Exh. A))