Lowell Ausmus

The committee discussed updates on business licensing, which are slated for review in early 2025. Key agenda items included a review of the 2024 second-quarter financial summary, an overview of the 2025-2026 biennial budget calendar, and the status of American Rescue Plan Act funding obligations. Additionally, the committee received a report on ongoing information technology projects.

The commission discussed potential 2024 compensation for the Mayor and City Councilmembers. Key topics included a review of comparative salary data from other municipalities, with a specific focus on the City of Burlington, and an overview of current status for various city union contract negotiations, including AFSCME, Police, and Fire Department agreements.

The meeting involved a legal overview of the Open Public Meetings Act and commissioner duties. Members were assigned specific terms, and a Chair and Co-Chair were appointed. The commission reviewed the current salary ordinance for the Mayor and Councilmembers and identified additional data needed for future compensation evaluations. The next meeting date was scheduled.

The commission discussed the Mayor's 2023 inflationary bonus, which is to be funded by American Rescue Plan Act monies, and approved the bonus at $3,500. Additionally, the commission scheduled the next meeting for July 2023 to review annual compensation adjustments for 2024 based on the CPI-U data for the Seattle Tacoma Bremerton area.

The commission reviewed and discussed compensation data. It was determined that each member would conduct additional research to be shared at a subsequent meeting. A motion regarding the setting of salaries was tabled for a future meeting.