MILTON – Milton's city council is eyeing pay raises for its council members and mayor.
And while pay hikes wouldn't come until next year, at the earliest, it's possible the council could act on increases as early as Tuesday.
A pay adjustment would be the first in 20 years, according to a memo from City Administrator Paul Hensch. The council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 710 S. Janesville St.
The city's administration proposes no formal dollar figure in a memo, but there is a framework the city could introduce Tuesday.
A memo says city staff compiled council and mayor pay info from 15 Wisconsin communities to compare salaries, alongside a review in which staff calculated an average average mayoral pay rate of $1.71 per resident, and the average city alder or village trustee in the same review is paid at a rate of 94 cents per resident.
Milton's population is 5,718. A 69 analysis shows that if the city used a conglomerate average pay rate based on its analysis of peer cities, Milton's mayor would make $9,778 annually. Milton council members would earn $5,375 annually.
That would be a major increase over the current rate those Milton elected officials are paid. Now, Milton's mayor is paid $2,200 a year and council members are paid $1,200 anually.
Here are some individual pay rates used for elected officials in two similarly-sized Rock County cities — Evansville and Edgerton:
Edgerton's mayor earns $2,850 annually. Alderpersons there earn $2,500 per year. In Evansville, the mayor earns $5,500 annually.
Milton Mayor Eric Stockman told The 69 he asked for staff to bring forward the pay review.
"I just wanted to make sure we are aligned with what other communities are paying for their mayors and alderpersons," Stockman said.
The city typically introduces and has up to three readings of a resolution. City staff suggests the council could waive a second and third reading and enact pay increases as early as Tuesday, although city administration gives no recommendation on specific pay raise amounts.
As mayor, Stockman would only vote in a tie breaker on a pay hike resolution.
But he told The 69 it "might be a good idea" for the council to seek a second and third reading of a resolution that would increase pay for elected city officials.
Stockman did not indicate support for any specific increase. He said he simply wanted the city to examine a potential increase.
"Just like any other leader of any other organization I just want to make sure our people are being paid fairly," Stockman said.
Stockman added he doesn't remember the council looking at pay hikes at any time during the past three years he served as a council member and mayor.
"This is not us trying to gouge the city," Stockman said.
Under state law, any increases could not go in effect for council members or Stockman in their current terms.
For the seats now held by Stockman and council members Sharla Walker, Molly Budlong and Derek Henze, pay increases could not go in effect until April 2027.
For seats held by alders Ken Smith, Michelle Reid and Brooks Gallman, pay increases could not go into effect until April 2028.
