FINANCIAL BUSINESS REQUEST (FBR)
Motion/Request:
title
MOTION to set the Mayor’s salary at $107,000 Retroactive to July 1, 2022.
end
Background:
Article XIX of the Connecticut Constitution (amending Article Xl), passed in 1982, governs Elected Official’s Salary. Article XIX provides:
Section 2 of the article eleventh of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:
Except as provided in 
this section, neither the state nor any political subdivision of the state shall pay or grant to any elected official of the state or any political subdivision of the state, any compensation greater than the amount of compensation set at the beginning of such official's term of office for the office which such official holds or increase the pay or compensation of any public contractor above the amount specified in the contract. The provisions of this section shall not apply to elected officials in towns in which the legislative body is 
the town meeting.
The compensation of an elected official of a political subdivision of the state whose term of office is four years or more may be increased once after such official has completed two years of his term by the legislative body of such political subdivision. The term "compensation" 
means, with respect to an elected official, such official's salary, exclusive of reimbursement for necessary expenses or any other benefit to which his office would entitle him.
Article XIX remains in effect as written above, As the elected Mayor in Ledyard serves a four-year term, compensation 
may be increased only once after the completion of two years of a term.
Please see attached spreadsheet. The Mayor’s Salary has not been increased since 2019.
Department Comment/Recommendation:
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Finance Director Comment/Recommendation:
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Mayor Comment/Recommendation:
I support this motion not just for myself (though I will benefit) but also for those that seek this role after my term. It’s important to have a wage that will garner the most interest from the most qualified parties for the role as Mayor. This motion reflects a 3% increase on each of the previous years and will remain at this rate until at least FY’ 25-26.
Meeting Action Detail:
Town Council Meeting 03/08/2023
File #: 231271 Version: 1
Type: Financial Business Request (FBR)
Title:
MOTION to set the Mayor’s salary at $107,000 Retroactive to July 1, 2022
Moved: Saums Seconded: McGrattan
Action: Approved
Minute Note:
Moved by Councilor Ingalls, seconded by Councilor McGrattan
Discussion: Councilor Saums stated setting the Mayor’s Salary was governed by Article XIX of the Connecticut Constitution (amending Article Xl.), which was passed in 1982, noting that it stated the following:
The compensation of an elected official of a political subdivision of the state whose term of office is four years or more may be increased once after such official has completed two years of his term by the legislative body of such political subdivision.
Councilor Saums stated the Mayors Salary has not been increased since 2019; explaining that per Article XIX of the Connecticut Constitution because the Mayor serves a four-year term, the compensation may be increased only once after the completion of two years of a term. He stated the requested salary represented a 3.16% increase per year for a total of about 12.63% increase. He stated that the Town Council was mindful that the salary for Ledyard’s Mayor was less than Mayors’ in surrounding towns. He stated 3% salary increases was where the town was with the last round of union bargaining negotiations; and therefore, he thought this salary increase was reasonable and fair in light of salary increases with their bargaining units.
Councilor Rodriguez asked them to explain to residents who may be listening or viewing the video recording of this meeting the reason the salary increase was retroactive to July 1, 2022. Mayor Allyn explained as an elected Mayor that the salary could only be adjusted one-time halfway thru the four-year term, which should have been in 2021. However, he stated they were only making the salary increase retroactive back to July 1, 2022.
Mayor Allyn went on to state that he supported the request not just for himself, (though he will benefit) but also for those that seek this role in the future. He stated that it was important to have a wage that would attract interest from the most qualified people who had the right skill sets for the role as Mayor such as leadership qualities, management qualities, finance background, public speaking, interest and or willingness to work both day and at night and on weekends. He stated there was a lot rolled up in the position of the Mayor and that the town needed to make sure they get people who want to do the job.
Councilor Ingalls stated the Mayor was a lifestyle job noting that when you are elected that you are never “Not the Mayor” noting that it was a 24/7 job stating you are the Mayor at 3:00 a.m., etc. She stated the town needed to attract the right professional, noting that in years past people have laughed off the possibility to run for the position of Mayor when they found out how low the salary was for the work and commitment involved. She stated she agreed with the skill set Mayor Allyn mentioned this evening and she stated that the Mayor was the face of their town. She stated that this was part of the reasons so many towns were moving toward Professional Town Managers, who have gone to school for municipal management.
Chairman Dombrowski stated in addition to the skill set Mayor Allyn mentioned which included finance background, leadership qualities, management qualities, public speaking, that the person in the role of Mayor needed to understand what they were legally and statutorily allowed to do, noting that the Connecticut General Statutes were overwhelming and were not exactly abundantly clear. He went on to state as members of the Town Council they sometimes have difficulty understanding all of the State Statutes, when to refer to the Town Charter, or refer to the Town Procedures, Policies, Ordinances or Resolutions. However, he stated the Mayor has to live this everyday.
Councilor Ryan stated that salary increase for the Mayor was more than fair compared to other municipalities with the same population. He stated the salary chart that was provided in the backup information was misleading noting that total percentage increase from $95,000 to $107,000 was 12.63% was compounded; however, he stated the prior salary increases were abstract raises.
VOTE: 7 - 0 Approved and so declared
Action: Approved
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Finance Committee Meeting 03/01/2023:
File #: 231271 Version: 1
Type: Financial Business Request (FBR)
Title:
MOTION to set the Mayor’s salary at $107,000 Retroactive to July 1, 2022
Moved: Ingalls Seconded: Saums
Action: Recommend to Approve
Minute Note:
Moved by Councilor Ingalls, seconded by Councilor Saums
Discussion: Councilor Saums stated setting the Mayor’s Salary was governed by Article XIX of the Connecticut Constitution (amending Article Xl.), which was passed in 1982, noting that it stated the following:
“The compensation of an elected official of a political subdivision of the state whose term of office is four years or more may be increased once after such official has completed two years of his term by the legislative body of such political subdivision.”
Councilor Saums stated the Mayor’s Salary has not been increased since 2019; explaining that per Article XIX of the Connecticut Constitution because the Mayor in serves a four-year term, the compensation may be increased only once after the completion of two years of a term. He stated the requested salary represented a 3.1% increase per year for a total 12% increase during the course of four year term.
Mayor Allyn, III, explained as an elected Mayor that the salary could only be adjusted one-time halfway thru the four-year term, which should have been in 2021. He stated the Mayor’s salary could be adjusted two-years into the next term. He stated that he supported the request not just for himself, (though he would benefit) but also for those that seek this role after his term. He stated that it was important to have a wage that would garner interest from the most qualified parties for the role as Mayor. He noted that there were six other positions in town that were being pay above the Mayor’s Salary, setting aside any salaries for the Board of Education.
Councilor Ingalls stated that Ledyard’s Mayor was underpaid, noting that during the time someone was elected and serving as the Mayor there was never a minute that they were “Not the Mayor”, noting that they were the Mayor 7-24 stating that they do not get the weekends off. Councilor Saums stated he agreed with Councilor Ingalls’ comments noting the many evening meetings the Mayor attended as well as the many events he attended on weekends.
Mayor Allyn stated with this annual 3% increase on each of the previous years that the $107,000 salary would remain at this rate until at least Fiscal Year 2025/2026.
VOTE: 2 - 0 Approved and so declared
Action: Recommend to Approve