HELENA — The Helena City Commission voted four to one to raise their salary on Wednesday. Commissioner Sean Logan was the only member to vote against the proposal.
With approval, the mayor’s salary will increase 36% from $11,000 thousand a year to $15,000 a year.
Commissioners will see a 22% increase in pay going from $9,000 dollars annually to $11,000.
A memo from City Manager Tim Burton and Human Resources Manager Renee McMahon says the salary increases are necessary to due to increased workload, civic responsibility, and the current economy.
During the meeting, Commissioner Melinda Reed called the raise a good first step but still expressed concerns over the cost of service in terms of hours worked compared to pay.
Commission Sean Logan thanked the staff for their work on the proposal but said he could not support the increase based on budget concerns for the coming year.
The raises bring the commission’s pay to a level just below the average of elected leaders in Montana’s other large cities.
The new salaries take effect on January 1, 2024.
