Lake Elmo Council raises own pay for first time since 2012
The Lake Elmo City Council agreed on June 10 to increase the mayor's annual stipend to $9,000 and council members' to $7,000—their first raise in 14 years—citing the city's rapid growth and increased workload.
The council reached informal consensus on the compensation increase after reviewing data on inflation and comparing Lake Elmo's stipends to similar-sized cities. The current amounts have remained unchanged since 2012. Council members acknowledged the awkwardness of discussing their own pay but recognized that fair compensation is necessary to attract diverse candidates as the city continues to expand. Staff will now prepare the ordinance change needed to implement the new amounts.
In other business, the council unanimously supported exploring a partnership with Community Education to expand recreational programming in city parks. Under a proposed Joint Powers Agreement, Community Education would use city facilities like Sunfish Lake Park and Tablin Park at no cost, handling all programming, registration, and marketing. The council rejected adding a new city staff position for parks coordination, preferring instead to leverage existing community partnerships.
The council also deferred a decision on funding middle school sports. Community Education Executive Director Annette Solomon requested city financial help to offset rising costs as the school district shifts the program to Community Education due to budget cuts. Without subsidies, participant fees would jump from $95 to $285. Council members were divided: some supported investing in youth programs, while others expressed concern about using tax dollars for school-related activities. The discussion will continue during future budget deliberations.
Finally, the council unanimously agreed to continue budgeting for lobbyist services with Lark and Hoffman Public Affairs. Margaret Bessel of the firm reported that the recent state legislative session successfully passed a bonding bill benefiting Lake Elmo, though a water supply exemption bill faced challenges due to state Department of Natural Resources interpretation. Council members cited the importance of maintaining lobbying efforts ahead of the 2027 legislative session, particularly given anticipated changes in state administration that could affect the city's priorities.
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Other Topics from This Document
Parks Master Plan Implementation and Community Programming
Middle School Sports Funding Request
Parks Priorities, Grant Administration, and Trail Network Development
City Council and Mayor Compensation Review
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