Longmont City Council supports pay raise for future council members, mayors

Matthew Bennett, Daily Times-Call, Longmont, Colo.
·2 min read

Feb. 28—The Longmont City Council voted Tuesday to increase how much future council members and mayors will be compensated for their service.

Currently, members of the Longmont City Council earn $1,000 a month and the mayor $1,500 a month.

In a 6-1 vote during its regular meeting Tuesday, the Council agreed to increase those amounts to $1,500 a month for council members and $2,000 a month for the mayor, along with a cost of living increase every two years that is tied proportionally to social security.

The Longmont City Council's pay has not been adjusted since 1999.

"As somebody who very much plans not to continue after my term limit is done in 2025, I would support bringing us up to at least average for the area," Council member Aren Rodriguez said.

Councilmember Diane Crist cast the lone "no" vote, saying pay was not the only obstacle to becoming a council member.

"What would help me most, is if it was easier to maintain my regular job and be a council person," Crist said. "One problem is the length of the meetings. ... What could we do to make them more efficient?"

The council and mayor's pay increases will not take effect until after the city's next regular election in 2025.

Council pay can vary widely depending on the size of the town or city. Firestone, which has approximately 19,300 residents, pays its mayor $350 a month and its council members $300 a month. Fort Collins, which has roughly 170,000 residents, pays its mayor $56,400 annually and its council members $37,600 annually.

Longmont has a population of about 100,000.

Councilmember Shiquita Yarbrough brought up the issue of compensation during the Jan. 23 regular meeting. Yarbrough raised concerns that the Council's weekly meetings — which often last several hours — coupled with the low pay make it difficult, if not impossible, for certain residents to even consider pursuing local office, regardless of their passion for the city.

Council members also serve as liaisons to the city's various boards, commissions and committees.

"Times are changing and if we want more perspectives and diverse people on our ... Council, we have to think about some of the barriers," Yarbrough said. "That is why I brought that up. It's not because I want a pay raise or a stipend raise, it's because of the future of this city and the future of our Council."