KALISPELL — The Kalispell City Council voted Monday to raise the salaries of both council members and the mayor for the first time in nearly 30 years.
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Under the new plan, both salaries will double over two fiscal years. After that, pay will increase by no more than 3% annually, tied to the Consumer Price Index.
The motion, proposed by Councilor Dustin Leftridge, outlined the structure of the increases.
"The first year I think it would be a 50% increase, the second year it would be a 50% increase and then it would be after that a cap of 3% CPI," Leftridge said.
Supporters of the raise, including Councilor Wes Walker, argued that without higher pay, only those who could financially afford to serve would run for council.
"Unless all you want to see are people who are already privileged enough to be able to afford the time and the money to serve up here, I think we have to do something," Walker said.
The vote was not unanimous. Councilors Sid Daoud and Sam Nunnally voted against the raise. Daoud argued the increase would add to the community's financial burden and that serving on the council is a public service, not a paid position.
"I cannot support raising council's salary which is allocated out of the general fund enabled by citizens taxes at a time when we have a greatly inflated and devalued dollar, gas and food prices are soaring and expected to get worse, and property taxes have hurt the local economy," Daoud said.
Daoud offered an amendment to make the council an unpaid position, and Nunnally pushed for an independent compensation board to set pay. Both amendments failed.
Leftridge's motion passed 5-2, with Daoud and Nunnally voting no.
