An independent salary commission is hereby created for the purpose of setting the salary of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Soap Lake. The official name of the commission shall be the Soap Lake Salary Commission (also referred to herein as Salary Commission). The Commission shall review and establish the salaries of the Mayor and Councilmembers and exercise the powers and perform the duties established by RCW 35.21.015, as now existing or hereafter amended.
(Ord. 2025-1350, 5/7/2025)
A. 
The Soap Lake Salary Commission shall be composed of five members appointed by the mayor with confirmation by the council.
B. 
Salary Commission members must be a resident of the City. No member of the Salary Commission shall be an officer, official, or employee of the City of Soap Lake or any of their immediate family members. For purposes of this chapter, "immediate family member" means the parents, spouse, siblings, children, or other dependent relatives of the officer, official, or employee, whether or not living in the household of the officer, official, or employee. All members shall be residents of the city.
C. 
Salary Commission members will be deemed to be qualified for the appointment by application only (interviews are not required).
(Ord. 2025-1350, 5/7/2025)
A. 
A Salary Commission shall be convened as needed to review salaries of the Mayor and/or City Council.
B. 
The regular term of office for the Soap Lake Salary Commission shall be from time of appointment until the salary review is complete and a decision is reached by the commission. At that time the Salary Commissioner terms will expire. No member shall be appointed to more than two terms on the Salary Commission, whether consecutive or otherwise.
C. 
Salary Commission members will serve without compensation.
(Ord. 2025-1350, 5/7/2025)
The mayor may remove a member of the Soap Lake Salary Commission during the member's term of office only for cause of incapacity, incompetence, neglect of duty, malfeasance in office or for a disqualifying change of residence.
(Ord. 2025-1350, 5/7/2025)
A. 
The Soap Lake Salary Commission shall meet to study the current councilmember salaries in relationship to the duties of the Mayor and council, salaries of comparable jurisdictions, current market conditions, and any other factors as determined by the Salary Commission.
B. 
All meetings shall be governed by the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act and shall be open to the public except as may be otherwise allowed under that Act.
C. 
The Commission shall adopt rules of procedure to govern its meetings. Such rules shall make provision for the taking of minutes and the keeping of commission records and shall provide for the election of such officers as are deemed necessary by the commission for the conduct of its business.
(Ord. 2025-1350, 5/7/2025)
A. 
As provided in state law, the Soap Lake Salary Commission shall have the authority to establish the salaries of the Mayor and City Council, and to that end may order that the salaries of the Mayor and/or City Council be increased or decreased.
B. 
Upon determining to change any salary, the Salary Commission shall file a written salary schedule reflecting the change with the City Clerk.
1. 
Salary increases established by the Salary Commission shall become effective as to the covered positions thirty days after the salary schedule is filed with the City Clerk, unless a valid referendum petition is filed as provided in SLMC § 2.47.070. Salary increases shall be effective as to the covered positions regardless of their terms of office.
2. 
Salary decreases established by the Salary Commission shall become effective as to incumbent Mayor and/or City Council positions at either the appointment of a new member due to resignation/vacancy, or the commencement of their next subsequent term of office.
C. 
Approved salary changes for which no referendum petition is filed shall become effective and be incorporated into the city's budget without further action of the City Council or the Salary Commission.
(Ord. 2025-1350, 5/7/2025)
A. 
Salary increases and decreases shall be subject to referendum petition by the people of the City of Soap Lake as provided for in RCW 35.21.015.
B. 
A referendum petition seeking a vote on a salary increase or decrease must be filed within thirty days after the written salary schedule reflecting the change is filed with the City Clerk.
C. 
In the event of the filing of a valid referendum petition, the salary increase or decrease shall not go into effect until approved by vote of the people.
D. 
Referendum measures under this chapter shall be submitted to the voters of the city at the next following general or municipal election occurring thirty days or more after the referendum petition is filed and shall be otherwise governed by the provisions of the state constitution or laws generally applicable to referendum measures.
(Ord. 2025-1350, 5/7/2025)