BEVERLY — The City Council has voted to increase the pay of the mayor, City Council and School Committee starting in 2024.
In a 6-3 vote, the council on Monday approved increases in the mayor’s salary from $120,000 to $145,000; city councilors’ from $11,733 to $14,000; and School Committee members’ from $5,867 to $8,000.
In addition, the City Council president’s pay will go from $12,333 to $15,000, and the School Committee president’s will increase from $6,167 to $9,000.
Proponents of the raises noted that the City Council’s and School Committee’s pay has not been increased in 27 years, and said higher pay could encourage people to run for office who otherwise might not run due to their financial circumstances.
“I know it’s awkward to vote on your own compensation,” Ward 5 Councilor Kathleen Feldman said. “I would be more than happy not to receive the raise. It’s not about me, it’s about the future of the city of Beverly.”
Ward 1 Councilor Todd Rotondo, who proposed the increases, pointed out that the raises don’t go into effect until 2024 so they might not even impact current councilors.
“There are four councilors from the last session who are not here,” he said. “Even though we are voting it, it’s not necessarily for us, it’s for future councils.”
Councilor-At-Large Hannah Bowen said she was pleased that the new salaries will close the gap between City Council and School Committee salaries.
“The lowest percentage increase is for City Council members, which makes me more comfortable,” Bowen said.
Along with Feldman, Rotondo and Bowen, councilors Steve Crowley, Scott Houseman and Brendan Sweeney voted in favor of the raises. City Council President Julie Flowers, Estelle Rand and Matt St. Hilaire voted against.
In a previous meeting, St. Hilaire said he felt that elected officials in Beverly are already paid “fair and appropriately” and that salaries are in line with those in other communities.
A report done two years ago by a Beverly salary review committee said the median salary for mayors in 13 nearby communities was $120,000, the same as Mayor Mike Cahill’s current salary. But the committee also noted that the mayor in Beverly is paid less than five positions that report to him — police chief, fire chief, public services director, finance director and city solicitor.
That report also said the salaries for Beverly City Council and School Committee were close to the average and median rates in the region, but said they have not had a raise since 1995.
The new ordinance that governs the salary increases will also require the City Council to review salaries every two years and for the council’s budget analyst to provide a report to help councilors make a decision on possible raises.
Staff Writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@salemnews.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.
