Council Ponders Self-Imposed Pay Cut

City Council members on Tuesday took a first stab at addressing a recent Contra Costa Grand Jury  recommendation for Hercules to review its council members' compensation.

The report recommended that the city review council salaries, meeting fees, pensions and health benefits, which cost Hercules $93,691 a year, roughly $16,000 more than the countywide average.

Of that $93,691 total, $51,960 goes to council members' salaries and fees for attending meetings; $34,141 to council members' health benefits; $5,059 pensions; and $2,531 for “other costs,” the report said.

An official response to the report is not due until July 25, but the council unanimously agreed publicly that some changes need to be made.

Councilman John Delgado began the discussion Tuesday night by suggesting that council members reduce their salaries, and, more importantly, eliminate unnecessary health and pension benefits. Delgado added that although he does not consider himself a city employee, serving on the council “does take a great deal of time.” Some salary would offset the costs associated with that time, he said.

Mayor Joanne Ward and Vice Mayor Myrna DeVera agreed that some compensation for the council is fair, but that they would be willing to work as council members for free if that was the will of the public. “It is a symbol of our sacrificing together,” DeVera said. “If cutting the pension and benefits will help, I would like to agree with that, too,” she said.

Councilman Don Kuehne, too, said the council should consider a reduction in its own salaries and benefits, but that the time commitment should be considered when making that reduction. As a council member, Kuehne said, he put 15 to 20 hours per week and "given our present situation, it’s even more than that,

The council asked to have the compensation issue placed on the agenda for Thursday's Finance Subcommittee meeting.