Explanation
Background: In November 2014, Columbus voters overwhelmingly approved a series of ballot issues which amended the Columbus City Charter. Included among the changes was a mandate to establish a Citizens’ Commission on Elected Official Compensation to review and recommend the salary for each elective officer of the city, with the underlying goal of increasing citizen engagement and adding an additional layer of accountability to the process of setting future pay rates for elected officials in Columbus.
On January 26, 2015, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council President Andrew J. Ginther formed the first Citizens’ Commission on Elected Official Compensation. The five person commission was charged with reviewing compensation for the mayor, city council member, city council president, city attorney, and city auditor, and make salary recommendations including an annual cost of living adjustment to not exceed the average increase in the consumer price index over the preceding four years.
Commission members included:
• Chester C. Christie, Chair, Former Director, City of Columbus Department of Human Resources
• Kristen Easterday, Director of Local Government Relations, Columbus Chamber of Commerce
• Dawn Tyler Lee, Senior Vice President of Community Impact, United Way of Central Ohio
• Marchelle E. Moore, Esq., Vice President of Legal & Government Affairs and General Counsel for the Central Ohio Transit Authority
• William Murdock, Executive Director, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
The Compensation Commission held nine meetings, including six working meetings and three public hearings beginning on March 12, 2015 and ending on June 16, 2015 before finalizing recommendations for the salary of each elective official of the city. Under the Columbus City Charter, setting elected official salaries will still require a public vote of City Council. Council may accept and enact the Commission’s recommendations in whole or in part, but no salary ...
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