St. George Citizens Rally Against Proposed Salaries for City Officials

More than 100  residents of the new City of St. George packed the Council chamber at City Hall to voice their opposition to proposed salaries for the Mayor, Police Chief, and seven members of the City Council.

The overwhelming majority of those in attendance strongly opposed the salary schedule. As introduced, it would have provided salaries of $170,000 for the Mayor, $150,000 for the Police Chief, and $44,000 for each Council member.

Opponents described the salaries as “throwing fiscal restraint out the window,” “way out of line,” “bait and switch,” “not fiscally responsible,”  “excessive,” “exorbitant,” and “not showing good faith.”

Only two citizens spoke in favor. They said running the city would be a 24/7 job for the Mayor and Council members and that they should be paid accordingly. However, both said they weren’t sure what the salary should be.

In the end, the Council amended the salary levels down to $160,000 for the Mayor, $140,000 for the Police Chief, and $36,000 for each of the Council members.

The amended proposal passed the Council 3 to 2.

Voting YES were Council members Patty Cook, Steve Monachello, and Max Himmel.  Voting NO were Council members Richie Edmonds and Ryan Heck.

Ms. Cook led the debate in favor of the salary proposal.

Based on their comments during the meeting, Edmonds voted NO because he thought the salaries were too high, while Heck voted NO because he favored the higher level as introduced.

Some members of the public objected to setting salaries at this time because the duties of the Mayor and Council are up the air. The Lawrason Act under which the city operates provides for a strong mayor.  The proposed Home Rule Charter on the March 29 ballot provides for a weak Mayor and Council-run city with most power in the hands of a City Manager.

Here are comments from some of the public testimony:

• Ann Bergeron provided a written statement saying, “Throughout the campaign, we heard the example of Sandy Springs, GA, as a model of fiscal responsibility. Now that we are a city we are throwing fiscal restraint out the window.”

• Chuck Lowman provided a statement saying, ‘Setting official salaries before determining the form of government does not make sense.”

• Chris Rials, one of the two incorporators of St. George, said, “What is being proposed in the Home Rule Charter is unique in Louisiana’s 212-year history. We have never had a Council-managed city — out of 302 municipalities in Louisiana… Outside Louisiana where there are Council-managed cities, the Mayor and Council are part-time.  The highest paid Mayor in the country with a Council-managed city is in Dallas, where the Mayor makes $80,000. The City Manager manages the $5 billion budget and 15,000 city employees.”

• Valarie Gibson said, “This is not how you get off on the right foot for a stream-lined, fiscally responsible and accountable city. This is how you prove to all the critics that they were right about the character of those trying to build St. George. I don’t appreciate you’re taking liberties with my and other supporters’ reputations to the people watching. They think we all have our hands in the till when they see actions like this. You are dividing the city.”

• Shawn White said, “I’m a strong advocate of your getting paid but this is excessive.”

• Gary Tate said, “It would behoove you to go on the low side of salaries to show you are serious.”

• Leslie Davis said, “Higher salaries do not equate to quality candidates. Studies by Princeton, Cambridge and others show higher salaries do not reduce or prevent corruption, equate to capable officials, fiscal responsibility, good policies or improved services.”

• David Madaffari said, “We shouldn’t be talking about salaries until we get some wins. Get money coming in, elect officials, build some roads, show some tangible benefits first.”

• Dr. Lewis Richerson said, “From the beginning, St. George was supposed to represent fiscal responsibility. This contradicts that principle.”

• Josh Hoffpuir said, “I want the people sitting here to be working 24/7 for St. George.”

• Chief Jerry Tarleton said, “These people will be 24/7. People deserve a salary.”

• Norman Browning, one of two incorporators of St. George, said, “What we need is great leadership. I can’t ask someone to work full-time for $42,000. I may not agree 100 percent with the proposal but let’s get it done right.”