Explanation
In November 2014, Columbus voters 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.
The 2015 Citizens’ Commission on Elected Official Compensation issued its reports and recommendations in June 2015 and the Commission’s recommendations were enacted by City Council pursuant to Ordinance 3185-2015 for the years 2016 through 2021. In January 2018, Mayor Andrew Ginther and City Council President Shannon Hardin formed the 2018 Citizens’ Commission on Elected Official Compensation as required under Section 15-2 of the Columbus City Charter and charged them with reviewing compensation for the mayor, city council members, 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:
· Fred Ransier, Chair, Partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease
· Joel Diaz, Chief Marketing & Community Affairs Officer, Equitas Health
· Diana Givand, Associate, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP
· Qiana Williams, Human Resources Director, OhioHealth
· Robert J. Weiler, Sr., Chair of the Board, The Robert Weiler Company
The 2018 Compensation Commission held seven meetings 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. Council may enact all of the recommendations as submitte...
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