A Local Officers Compensation Commission is hereby created which
shall determine the salaries of all local elected officials. The Commission
shall consist of five members who are registered electors of the City
of Bridgman, appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation by a majority
of the members elected and serving on the City Council. The terms
of office shall be five years, except that of the members first appointed,
one each shall be appointed for terms of one, two, three, four and
five years. All first members shall be appointed within 30 days after
the effective date of this chapter. Thereafter, members shall be appointed
before October 1 of the year of appointment. Vacancies shall be filled
for the remainder of the unexpired term. No member or employee of
the legislative, judicial or executive branch of any level of government
or members of the immediate family of such member or employee shall
be eligible to be a member of the Commission.
The Commission shall determine the salaries of all local elected
officials which determination shall be the salaries unless the City
Council, by resolution adopted by 2/3 of the members elected to and
serving on the City Council, reject them. The determinations of the
Compensation Commission shall be effective 30 days following their
filing with the City Clerk unless rejected by the City Council. In
the case of rejection, the existing salary shall prevail. Any expense
allowance or reimbursement paid to elected officials in addition to
salary shall be for expenses incurred in the course of City business
and accounted for to the City.
The Commission shall meet for not more than 15 session days
in 1976 and every odd-numbered year thereafter and shall make its
determination within 45 calendar days of its first meeting. A majority
of the members of the Commission constitute a quorum for conducting
the business of the Commission. The Commission shall take no action
or make determinations without a concurrence of a majority of the
members appointed and serving on the Commission. The Commission shall
elect a Chairman from among its members. "Session days" means any
calendar days on which the Commission meets and a quorum is present.
The members of the Commission shall receive no compensation, but shall
be entitled to their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the
performance of their duties.
The City Council shall implement this provision by resolution.
After one year following the date this chapter goes into effect, the
procedure for establishing the compensation of elected officials may
be changed by Charter amendment or revision.
Within 60 days after the effective date of this chapter, a petition
for a referendum on this chapter may be filed in accordance with the
procedure provided in the Charter or otherwise by filing a petition
with the City Clerk containing the signatures of at least 5% of the
registered electors of such City on the effective date of this chapter,
in which case, the election shall be conducted in the same manner
as an election on a Charter amendment. If a petition for referendum
is filed, any determination of the Commission shall not be effective
until this chapter has been approved by the electors.