Temple City Council Approves Salary
City Council members have tentatively agreed to pay themselves a salary for the first time.
The $300 per month each member would receive is recommended by state guidelines for cities with a population comparable to Temple City’s 32,000. The ordinance also would allow council members to receive reimbursement for work-related expenses. A final vote is scheduled for June 6.
Council members in the city incorporated in 1960 have never been paid.
Keith Durham, assistant to the city manager, said he knows of no other cities other than La Canada-Flintridge and San Marino where council members receive no pay.
Councilman Kenneth Gillanders said he introduced the ordinance after realizing that members are ineligible for benefits, such as low-cost health insurance plans and pension plans, that are available to paid city employees. Once council members receive a salary, they will be eligible for such benefits.
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