Salary review panel seeks applicants for open seat

After overwhelming support from voters in this summer’s primary election, the citizen board charged with setting the Spokane mayor’s pay is seeking applicants to fill its ranks.

The city of Spokane’s five-member Salary Review Commission is short one member and seeking applicants who live in the City Council’s District 2, which covers southern Spokane.

The commission was formed in 2007 by the City Council to determine the pay of council members and was given the task of setting the mayor’s pay after more than 80 percent of voters approved the change in last month’s election.

The measure was the culmination of a heated debate between Mayor David Condon and the Spokane City Council after the mayor’s 2015 budget proposal included a nearly $7,000 pay raise for his position, which Condon argued was in keeping with the city charter requiring that the mayor be the highest-paid person at City Hall.

After public uproar and pressure from City Council members, the mayor said he wouldn’t take the raise but demanded a long-term solution, leading to the vote.

The work to determine the mayor’s pay has been delayed due to the lack of members. The commission now expects to issue a recommendation by Nov. 30.

Currently, three men sit on the salary commission: Dick Barrett, Alexander Scott and Robert Beaumier. An applicant for another position, Jeff Rugan, is expected to be approved by the City Council on Monday. Rugan works at Express Employment Professionals.

To volunteer, contact the mayor’s office at (509) 625-6250, or visit SpokaneCity.org.