Fiscal Note
The proposed ordinance would set the Common Council President salary at 50 percent of the Mayor's salary and accrue Wisconsin Retirement System, health insurance and post-retirement health insurance benefits (sick leave escrow) based on a full-time equivalent position. The Mayor's salary in the 2015 Executive Operating Budget is $130,751 and is anticipated to be $133,156 in 2016. Based on this ordinance change, the Common Council President's salary in 2015 will be $8,280 (or $8,915 including benefits) for the period prior to the effective date and $45,840 (or $63,715 including benefits) for the period after the effective date for a total 2015 salary of $54,120 (or $72,630 including benefits). The annualized salary for the Council President in 2016 will be $66,578 (or $92,543 including benefits based on a 1.0 FTE position).
The Common Council 2015 Executive Operating Budget includes $11,000 for the President's salary (or $18,841 including benefits). The additional cost of this change for 2015 is approximately $37,560 (or $54,800 including benefits). This assumes the President accrues benefits at 100% of an FTE position. The cost of benefits could be less based on the hours worked. The process for validating the benefits accrual has yet to be determined. Based on current state law, full vesting in the Wisconsin Retirement System occurs after 5 years of service; retirement and health insurance benefits are available to employees that work more than 0.6 FTE position (1,200 hours).
Title
Amending Section 3.50(1)(c) of the Madison General Ordinances to set the salary of the President of the Common Council at half the salary of the Mayor and make the President for the same benefits the Mayor receives, if the President qualifies for them.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: This ordinance sets the salary of the Common Council President at half the salary of the Mayor, effective after the election in April, 2015. The ordinance also grants the President vacation time and any other benefits on the same basis as the Mayor, if qualified. The President would need to produce records showing at least 0.6 FTE to be eligible for many of these benefits, and might not meet qualifications for vesting in the WRS system. It is not intended to make the President a City employee.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Subdivision (c) entitled "President of the Common Council" of Subsection (1) of Section 3.50 entitled "Salaries of Mayor and Officials" of the Madison General Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
"(c) President of the Common Council:
Effective the term that begins April 20, 2011, the President's salary shall be $10,351.56. Effective the term that begins April 16, 2013 April 21, 2015, that amount shall be adjusted once by a percentage equal to the combined two (2) annual percentage changes granted to the City's recognized bargaining units in the previous two (2) years, rounded to the nearest whole percentage. Thereafter, that amount shall be adjusted by a percentage equal to the resultant percentages calculated two years previously for managerial employees pursuant to Sec. 3.54(6)(c), MGO, rounded to the nearest whole percentage, and shall be effective the second pay period in April of each year of the Aldermanic term. so that the salary of the Common Council President is fifty percent (50%) of the salary of the Mayor. Thereafter, that amount shall be adjusted annually so that it remains fifty percent (50%) of the salary of the Mayor, and shall be effective the second pay period in April of each year of the Aldermanic term. The President of the Common Council shall accrue vacation as provided in Sec. 3.32(7) of these ordinances and, if otherwise qualified, is eligible to obtain the same benefits as made available to the Mayor."