[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Bridgman 4-5-1976 by Ord. No. 57 (Ch. 100.00 of the 1999 Compiled Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
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.