Royal Oak City Commission OKs first reading to create local officers compensation commission

ROYAL OAK — In a unanimous vote at the Jan. 8 City Commission meeting, the commission decided to create a local officers compensation commission to review the compensation that city officials receive.

Adopted in 1955, the city charter states that each elected city commissioner receives a sum of $20 for each meeting, while the mayor receives $40. Comparing 1955 to now, the proposal states that the value of $20 is equal to $222 dollars today.

“I was approached by a number of elected officials indicating that they wanted to essentially consider this ordinance to be more inclusive of all residents who may want to become involved as a local elected official,” City Attorney Niccolas Grochowski said.

He said that this is coming to the table to make a more inclusive government where anybody can join, no matter their economic status.

As stated in the proposal in the agenda packet, the city is generally bound by its charter, but the “Michigan Home Rule City Act does provide a lawful mechanism for a city to enact an ordinance creating a LOCC.”

To remain within state law, specific requirements need to be met. A proposed ordinance was drafted to be within compliance of the requirements.

There are six requirements listed, the main one being that “once established, the LOCC shall determine the salary of each elected official. The determination shall be the salary unless the city commission rejects the determination by the LOCC by resolution adopted by 2 ⁄ 3 of the entire membership of the city commission.”

The local officers compensation commission will consist of seven members and will not meet more than 15 session days in each odd numbered year.

“This ordinance is more of a living document,” Grochowski said. “They (the LOCC) would meet every two years and do a study as to what the compensation should be established at, and that’s based on current conditions.”

City Commissioner Melanie Macey said that if this compensation amount is changed, it will make the current charter outdated, and she was curious as to what the city would do with that.

“Specific state law says if you have such a charter vision as we do, and if you take the step of enacting this ordinance, the ordinance controls over the charter provision, which is backward thinking,” Grochowski said. “I don’t think you necessarily need to clean up the charter, since you have a clear ordinance.”

City Commissioner Sharlan Douglas said that this is a good opportunity to include all people to potentially become a part of the city government.

“I think if we want to make the opportunity to govern available to all, this is a process that will make that happen,” she said.

Mayor Pro Tem Monica Hunt said that all the current city commissioners ran for office knowing the compensation amount.

“We did it for the love of the city, but there are some people out there like Mrs. Douglas indicated that they love the city but might not have the ability to do so based on putting out way more time than you receive compensation for,” Hunt said.

Following the approval, the second reading was scheduled for the City Commission’s Jan. 22 meeting, which occurred after press time.

According to Grochowski, if there were no objections to the second reading, the LOCC will meet in a year because it can only meet during odd numbered years.

During the time between the years, Grochowski said the city will work to “get the ball rolling.” When the new year comes around, the LOCC will work on examining the compensation in depth.