Garden Grove : Council Raises Stipends for City Commissions

The City Council has tripled the stipends of its appointed commissions and added the option of allowing commissioners to buy fringe benefits from the city.

The fringe benefits include purchasing dental and medical insurance coverage for themselves and their families. Part-time city employees, those who work less than 40 hours a week, do not receive benefits.

Commissioners will not receive the benefits for free because their salaries do not cover the cost.

The stipends set for the commissioners range from $30 to $100 a month, while dental and medical coverage will cost the city about $140 a month.

The Planning Commission received its last raise in 1971 and the other commissions in 1977, City Manager Mike Fenderson said.

Council members voted to discuss increasing their own salaries next week.

The stipend resolution was proposed last week by Councilman Ray Littrell to make sure that commissioners are not incurring any expenses from serving and to “show appreciation to these people.”

“My concern is that these people have not had any real adjustment (in their salary) while the price of gas has jumped from 29 cents to $1.35 per gallon,” Littrell said. “Plus they have more work now.”

The stipends paid to the seven-member Planning Commission will increase from $50 a month to $50 a meeting with a maximum of $150 a month. The Traffic Commisssion stipends will jump from $30 a month to $50 a meeting with the same maximum, while the remaining six commissions were voted an increase from $10 a month to $30 a meeting.

The planning and traffic commissions meet twice a month and the other commissions meet once a month.

Two commissions, the Administrative Board of Appeals and the Water Systems Policy Advisory Committee, have voted against receiving any compensation. However, the council included the two commissions in the increases, in case the members ever decide they want to receive a stipend.

A ninth commission, Parking and Main Street, which does not receive a stipend, was not included in the council’s discussions. All the commissions have seven members, except the five-member Board of Appeals.

The cost of medical benefits will range from about $280 for full family coverage to $128 for just the commissioner, acting personnel director George Ziegler said. The dental plan will cost $20 for the entire family and $13 for only the commissioner being covered, he said.

The City Council receives a stipend of $486 a month and the mayor is paid $600 a month, Fenderson said.

City Council members also have the option of receiving the same medical and dental benefits awarded to full-time city employees, he said.