From City Council President Marc Laredo …
City Council President Marc Laredo has announced the appointment of a Blue Ribbon Commission to examine the compensation that Newton’s elected officials (the Mayor and members of the City Council and the School Committee) receive for their service and to make recommendations for possible future changes to their salaries and benefits.
The Commission will be chaired by Claudia Dumond-Henderson, the chief human resources officer for the Boston Globe who formerly served as senior vice president, head of human resources at Steward Healthcare, and James Simons, a compensation specialist who currently works as an independent consultant and previously was the director of compensation for ModusLink Global Solutions, a multinational e-commerce company.
The other members of the Commission are:
- Karen Carroll Bennett, the director of the Teaching and Learning Center at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a member of the Day Middle School Council.
- Sharon Chen, a human resources manager at Dunkin Brands, Inc. and the co-president of the Newton Cantonese School.
- Doug Cornelius, the chief compliance officer of a financial services firm and a member of the Newton Historical Commission.
- Sue Flicop, who works at Boston College TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center and is the president of the League of Women Voters of Newton
- Carolyn Gabbay, the vice president of legal affairs and general counsel at Mount Auburn Cambridge Independent Practice Association, Inc. who for many years was a partner at the law firm of Nixon Peabody, LLP where she practiced health care law.
- Timothy Moran, an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts where he is the deputy chief of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit and director of the Civil Rights Enforcement Team
- Greg Reibman, the president of the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber who previously was the editor-in-chief and publisher of the Newton Tab and 13 other weekly newspapers.
- Donald Siegel, a partner with the law firm of Segal Roitman, LLP where he represents unions and workers.
- Andrea Steenstrup, a controller for a number of local life science start-up companies who has been active in the Newton public schools.
- John Stewart, a former Alderman at-Large from Ward 4 who served on the Board of Aldermen for ten years and was the director of education at the Kennedy Library and Museum.
- Kathy Sun, a strategy and operations business analyst at Deloitte Consulting.
The City Council last looked at the compensation for its elected officials in 2005. At that time, a Blue Ribbon Commission recommended raising the salaries of all elected officials and providing a mechanism for future increases. The City Council thereafter approved a salary increase for the Mayor but did not make any other compensation changes.
The Commission will hold its first meeting on Thursday, January 3, 2019 at 7 p.m. in Room 106C at City Hall, with the goal of having a report to the City Council by June 2019. It will meet once or twice a month, with all meetings being held at City Hall and open to the public. Residents are encouraged to communicate with the Commission both at its meetings, where there will be an opportunity for public comment, and in writing, with communications directed to Danielle Delaney ([email protected]) in the City Clerk’s office.
When President Laredo asked me to serve on the “Blue Ribbon Commission,” I thought he was inviting me to be on a committee commissioned to evaluate Blue Ribbon BBQ (You know, “What’s more satisfying the pulled pork or burnt ends?….collards or dirty rice?), not salaries.
Despite my initial disappointment, I’m still honored to serve with this very impressive group. Compensation of our electeds is an important topic. I look forward to taking deep dive into the issue.
I just may need to hold office hours at 1375 Washington St to fully evaluate the data.
As I understand, each of the City councilors currently earn annual salaries of $9,750, while each of the School Committee members currently earn $4,875 each year. Could some reader here explain why these salaries are so low, or whether these are appropriate sums in light of other factors which could be listed. Thanks.
I’ll defer to those with more knowledge, but I can hazard a couple of possible reasons for the low salaries. City councilors and school committee members are part-time positions, at least in the eyes of many, so the salary may reflect that. And I suspect most elected officials don’t like the optics of increasing their own pay, even though they could make a colorable case that their duties are more than part time.
Even if deemed part time, these salaries seem exceedingly low. Perhaps a higher/more realistic salary might attract a broader range of candidates not necessarily dedicated to lock-step liberalism.
Jim, I agree that higher salaries are needed to attract a more optimal range of candidates. Whether (and how) that happens, of course, will depend on how the commission and city council handles the issue. As for the lock-step issue, that won’t change anytime soon.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/fivethirtyeight.com/features/purple-america-has-all-but-disappeared/amp/
Ted, perhaps you’re right about the lock-step issue, where elected officials (City Council) focuses on making Newton a “sanctuary city” and other elected officials (School Committee) focuses on promoting anti-western/anti-Judeo-Christian teaching in the public schools.
I believe this is intended to be more of a stipend than a salary. Unless they are self employed, or independently wealthy, CC members typically need full time employment. This was a stark contrast between Scott Lennon and Ruthanne Fuller. Increasing the stipend would probably be appreciated by those who need to work a full time job, but unless the model is fundamentally changed, an increase stipend won’t be enough to attract anyone who would today choose to serve on the City Council or School Board
I don’t believe there should be any discussion of increasing compensation without a reduction of Council members. Time and Time again, voters have made their wishes known that they want a smaller City Council. Time for the Council to listen to the will of voters and put the 8-8 Council size to a vote of the body.
I’d definitely like a smaller council and would definitely vote no on an 8-8 council composition. In fact, I’d prefer to stay with 24 councilors than have an 8-8 16 member council.
With council of a 12, it would be easy to justify a significant increase in compensation.
Let’s delve into this issue, shall we?? While the compensation looks small in todays standards how many pt jobs get the bene’s including health insurance that this one has. I hope there will be a complete study done on this. you might see that this 10,000 per yr pt job might be closer 20-25,000. And the city has to pay 70-80% for their health insurance if they are in office over 10 years (I think) for the rest of the elected officials lives. I know not everyone takes advantage of it, but they can.
I’m with peter in that if they want a payraise, cut the size of the council, as 70% of the population wants them to do.
@Tom Sheff – you are correct. Many Newton elected officials buy their health insurance through the City which certainly adds to the compensation level. This should be factored into the equation of the true level of the benefit.
@Tom and @Peter: Your comments on the health care portion of compensation adds one more reason to review the whole package. New Councilors that elect coverage now pay around 40% of the benefit, whereas in 1997 (the last raise) medical was covered at 100% by the city. That is an erosion of benefits not an improvement. In my case, which is the only one I can comment on, the cost of taking the coverage from the city, or my employer is the same, so that is not a benefit to me.
The commission is necessary and timely, as who would ever consider a company well managed that conducted an “annual” comp review every 15 years!!
Councilor Cote, it could be beneficial to you taking it by the city. I don’t know what you do for a living, but the city does cover retirees, correct?? So, if your current employer doesn’t cover you in retirement, then it would be in your best interest to get insurance from the city….just sayin’.
@Tom: Either plan, after age 65 its mostly all Medicare for employees hired since 2011.