Published: November 03, 2009 10:09 am      

Compensation on hold

City council decides to wait until election dust settles

San Marcos — In a nod to today's election, the San Marcos City Council Monday voted to table a second and final vote on compensation for council members and the mayor.

Two council seats are up for grabs today. Council member Place 6 John Thomaides faces two challengers in his bid for a third term. Three people are also running for the seat of council member Place 5 Pam Couch, who is not seeking re-election.

Council members had already approved on first reading a proposal that would pay each council member $500 a month and the mayor $750. But a contentious discussion had ensued about Mayor Susan Narvaiz' idea to have council expense accounts reviewed quarterly by the Finance Audit Committee, on which she and members Couch and Kim Porterfield serve.

At Monday's meeting, council member Fred Terry proposed an amendment to make those reviews a part of the proposal, which re-opened the debate.

Thomaides said he would support the committee doing the reviews if council members weren't on it. He also questioned the efficiency of the process. "What if there is an issue with a council member? Who takes that up with the council member, the finance director? My guess is he'll go to the city manager and we'll be in the exact position we are right now."

Council member Chris Jones moved to table.

"I think this has gotten to the point, with an election looming, it's become very political. I think there are clear merits we need to consider before making this decision. I don't think those merits need to be influenced by politics," or that the decision should be made while council is "under pressure."

Narvaiz noted that the discussion of council compensation dates back to February, "well before the political season," and stressed her reasons for backing the reviews aren't politically motivated. "It was by no means political."

Porterfield said she was against the compensation, period.

"I've said since February, I believe this is an unpaid public service position. All of us were elected to be unpaid public servants. I'm not convinced San Marcos is big enough to justify this amount of compensation."

She said that she might accept a smaller package, $50 or $100 per meeting. "With the economy now, it just sends a bad message. Whether we table it or vote on second reading, I'm against it."

Under the proposed ordinance, council members would have the option to take the money as a monthly stipend, to refuse it, or to have it added to their existing reimbursable expense accounts.

Currently, those accounts allow council members up to $10,000 per year and the mayor, up to $16,000.