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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025/08/18 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionOfficial minutes City council special study session St. Louis Park, Minnesota Aug. 18, 2025 The meeting convened at 6:50 p.m. Council members present: Paul Baudhuin, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Yolanda Farris, Margaret Rog, Mayor Nadia Mohamed Council members absent: Lynette Dumalag Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), racial equity and inclusion specialist (Ms. Hernandez Guitron), city clerk (Ms. Kennedy), HR director (Ms. Vorpahl), racial equity and inclusion director (Ms. Yang); finance director (Ms. Cruver) Discussion item 1. Race, equity, and inclusion analysis - city council salaries Ms. Yang and Ms. Hernandez Guitron introduced themselves to the council. Ms. Kennedy stated at the council's request, the race equity and inclusion division will conduct a Racial Equity and Inclusion Impact Analysis (REIA) on the topic of city council salaries. This is a continuation of the conversation from the study session on July 7, 2025. Ms. Kennedy stated that on July 7, the council provided direction to adjust their annual salaries beginning in 2026 to $23,500 for the mayor and $18,000 for council members. She noted that the council requested an equity analysis on the topic. The council will participate in the analysis led by REI staff. Ms. Yang described historical and systemic barriers to diversity among elected officials in the United States. There is a long history of excluding individuals and communities from policymaking due to factors including race, ethnicity, gender, immigration status, disability status, age, income or educational level. She added that there is much work to be done in this area. Ms. Yang stated that the goal of today’s discussion will be to identify the potential racial equity and inclusion impacts of an annual salary increase for the city council. Ms. Yang asked all to be mindful that every voice is heard in the discussion. To support that process, each council member would take turns responding to following eight (8) analysis questions in rounds. 1) What issue are you trying to solve? 2) What disparities is this change hoping to address? • Racial • Economic • Health • Ability • Gender • Language Docusign Envelope ID: F560D01B-4FFF-4EB9-B167-475CBAC4ADBA Special study session minutes -2- Aug. 18, 2025 • Other: age diversity/equity, education 3) Which racialized and marginalized groups might be impacted or concerned with the issues related to this proposal? Mayor Mohamed stated that one issue the council is trying to solve is the feeling of being overworked and underpaid while serving on the council. When an elected official is performing council work for 20 hours per week or more, a person should be able to earn more than minimum wage. The disparity she most desires to address is economic. People who typically serve on a city council often come from a wealthy background or can otherwise afford to do the work, or they are retired. Being a public servant does not mean that council members should earn less than is fair. After economic disparity has been addressed, other disparities will naturally be addressed as well. It is important that the conversation focus on a wider impact than increasing pay specifically for black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) council members, and to take care around the messaging of this focus. Council Member Farris stated this issue is personal for her. She works two full-time jobs as well as serving on the city council. When she leaves meetings, she rushes to another job where she has a lot to do. A salary increase would make compensation more fair. A salary increase would help someone like her gain income and not have to work as much, allowing her to be able to focus more on the issues of the city. Council members do their best to serve to the best of their ability, and a salary increase would be no more than fair. She has heard some comments that council members should serve regardless of compensation, but that is not realistic because most people cannot afford to do that. Council Member Budd stated she hopes to change the council salaries to be comparable with the requirements of the office, including the many opportunities to be present in the community. Serving as a council member is a challenging part-time position and life has many demands. It is important to her that people be able to comfortably afford to serve on the council beyond a certain economic profile. All racialized and marginalized groups are affected by this issue, not just one. Council Member Brausen stated that the city council wants to take a step toward fair compensation for the work involved because serving on the council is demanding. There is a great deal of information to learn and study in addition to the time it takes to attend meetings and community activities. He shared that his work on city council issues involves 20 to 25 hours per week. Other council members - and certainly the mayor - work more time, above and beyond that, and the salary averages out to $11 per hour. He shared that he has another job and social security, so he can afford to do the work that being on the city council requires, but not everyone can afford to do the same. Council Member Brausen stated the economic disparity is very real, including racial impacts, and it needs to be addressed. He stated that although Mayor Mohamed is an exception, the average 20–30-year-old is so busy with family, home and economic obligations that they do not necessarily have time to serve their community. A salary increase would have a positive impact for many. However, an increase in pay may not change the dynamic substantially. A salary increase does not remove barriers for those whose work is scheduled in the evenings. An Docusign Envelope ID: F560D01B-4FFF-4EB9-B167-475CBAC4ADBA Special study session minutes -3- Aug. 18, 2025 increase also does not address those who need a better source of income for childcare, or those who struggle to pay their bills. Council Member Rog agreed with and appreciated the comments given so far. To her, the largest issue is to increase the pool of council member candidates as well as the perceived value of the role. She agreed with the comments shared about feeling overworked and underpaid. To her, the proposal feels like a moderate increase that elevates the position and the professionalism of being on the council. Council Member Rog noted that the LGBTQ+ community was not listed but is also a marginalized community that should be considered. She agreed that all council members would be positively impacted by higher city council salaries. Council Member Rog reinforced the mayor’s concerns related to care in messaging that the conversation is about more than racial equity. Council Member Baudhuin stated the primary issue is the need for more equitable pay when looking at the demands of the work. The city council consists of public servants who deserve a fair wage. The discussion is also about having a desire for more broad representation on the city council. He observed that the way the work is currently structured and paid favors individuals with full-time, salaried positions with a great deal of schedule flexibility. In his experience, the work of the city council is not always structured. There does seem to be merit in increasing the wage based on the work. Council Member Baudhuin stated his primary concern is about how to make serving on the city council more accessible for more people with different kinds of jobs and different kinds of lifestyles. 4) What positive impacts could result from this proposal? Who will benefit? 5) What negative impacts, intentional and unintentional, could result from this? Who will be disadvantaged? 6) How should we measure progress? What data will indicate success? 7) What assumptions are we making? Mayor Mohamed stated that the proposed increase will alleviate the combined work of the council and another job, reducing the burden serving on the council. Fair pay will also have a positive impact, and the council will be taking action to pursue fair pay and bring about change. On the other hand, council members running for re-election will be at a disadvantage. If the intention behind the salary increase is not communicated correctly, the communities of black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC community) will also be at a disadvantage. Mayor Mohamed stated the success of the proposal will be measured by how many community members have this conversation in future years. Overall, decreasing the burden of serving on the city council is a measure of progress. She noted that the council may be assuming that residents will be upset by a salary increase; it is also possible that residents may be neutral or even supportive. Docusign Envelope ID: F560D01B-4FFF-4EB9-B167-475CBAC4ADBA Special study session minutes -4- Aug. 18, 2025 Council Member Farris stated that positive benefits to public servants include income that can be used towards the cost of living and the cost of food. Because of this, she pointed out that residents may understand salary increases. More people filing to run for election or appointment to the city council is measurable. Council Member Farris stated she is not making any assumptions and believes this discussion has been truthful. Council Member Budd stated that bringing city council salaries into the $17 - $23 per hour range will be more viable, while unintended messaging could have a negative impact. One assumption is that higher pay will bring in more candidates, and that is not guaranteed. The city council and staff can observe impact on the diversity and number of people in the candidate pool. If there is no impact, then a salary increase may have missed the mark. Council Member Brausen stated positive impacts are that the council and the community can feel better knowing that they are paying a reasonable wage for the work being done. He has found that the residents of St. Louis Park support good governance and feel they receive it, which he has also heard from the public comment during his time on the council. In his opinion, a larger pool of new candidates would be positive. A potential negative Council Member Brausen shared is that raising council member salaries could be perceived as self-serving for the council making the action. He noted that the council alone has the authority to take this action and council members must take responsibility as well. He added the BIPOC community may be negatively perceived if the proposal is adopted, and the council is concerned about this potential outcome. St. Louis Park currently has a diverse city council, which is reflective of the community. The average taxpayer will not be negatively impacted, and the proposed salary increase is a small number within the city’s overall budget. Council Member Brausen stated progress could be measured when other communities raise their council member salaries as well, also noting the importance of broad candidate pools. He noted the discussion has assumed that pay is a primary motivator to serve; he does not think that is true nor will pay have a direct result on the candidate pool. Another assumption is that the community will react negatively to the council raising their own pay, though he believes that is likely to occur. Council Member Rog agreed that an increase in the candidate pool is a measure of positive impact. Raising St. Louis Park’s city council member salary to the same level as comparable cities conveys a message. Through elevated professionalism, pride and community respect for the role of council member, the community validates and acknowledges the council’s work. Council Member Rog added that how council members and residents feel about council member positions and being paid comparable to other communities is another measurement. Diversity, economic, gender, and other marginalized communities will be looked at and measured to see if there are barriers to childcare or attending meetings. Council Member Rog stated that it would be a disadvantage to focus the intention of raising salaries entirely on people of color. Docusign Envelope ID: F560D01B-4FFF-4EB9-B167-475CBAC4ADBA Special study session minutes -5- Aug. 18, 2025 Council Member Baudhuin stated retention of council members would be another positive outcome, and more pay could possibly assist in retention. He noted that the council members and their families will benefit as well. Progress can be measured in an increase of candidates regardless of identities and should be tracked over time. If there is a significant increase in the diverse identities held by council members, that will indicate success. Council Member Baudhuin stated that making money is not the primary driver for a person running for office, but some factors can be barriers. If those can be removed or made less of a barrier, that change would be positive. Increasing the candidate pool is essential and democracy involves choice. Residents need choices. He added that most governance processes are systems that were built by white men long ago, and he would like to take a robust look at the city’s systems. 8) Are there better ways to reduce racial disparities? What could be added or changed to advance racial equity and inclusion? Council Member Baudhuin stated he does not know and does not feel the council is equipped to adequately answer this question. He would like staff to conduct robust research on council member pay in general, beyond comparison with other cities. He also discussed research on how to increase candidate pools. Council Member Brausen stated that making the position of council member a full-time job and paying $125-$150,000 per year would be a way to reduce racial disparities. However, he believes the community would not support that change when there has been a very successful part-time council for many years. Council Member Brausen noted that the council is attempting to address the goal of salary in this discussion. Council Member Budd stated that boards and commissions would be an additional way to reduce racial disparities. In the past, boards and commissions experience has been a channel for engaged community members to consider running for the city council. Attention to recruitment and messaging for boards and commissions participation is another avenue to address reducing racial disparities. Council Member Farris stated that the focus should be on St. Louis Park as a whole and not just certain communities within the city. She shared that until she began working on the city council, she did not know much about the city or the city government. She wants to make this knowledge accessible to everyone. Sometimes, city government says that we want to include everyone, but what is shown is different. In her opinion and observations, the council is not fully addressing its mission. Council Member Rog stated she appreciates Council Member Farris’ comments. The systems that are in place make it more difficult for the council to bring about change. She gave an example of creating gathering places, such as a community center. Reducing barriers involves making sure that lived experiences, especially in marginalized communities, have a pathway to make a difference. Once people are elected to the city council, they have a voice or pathway. Council Member Rog added that the initial goal was to raise city council salaries. She Docusign Envelope ID: F560D01B-4FFF-4EB9-B167-475CBAC4ADBA Special study session minutes -6- Aug. 18, 2025 appreciated the racial equity discussion but understood that this was not the only reason for the discussion about raising council member salaries. Mayor Mohamed stated there are always better ways to remove barriers, but there are also unintended consequences. She noted the city charter and state statute and how authority comes with restrictions. The council is addressing its initial goal of adjusting compensation, but ultimately, she is not sure how this will be perceived by residents. Mayor Mohamed compared St. Louis Park’s part-time council positions in comparison with Minneapolis, where council positions are considered full-time and their pay reflects that expectation. As part of her example, she noted that since St. Louis Park is predominantly white, residents will continue to have the same faces on council. In comparison, Minneapolis will always have more diversity in representation because the community is more diverse. She also noted that she was a bit confused by Council Member Baudhuin’s comments asking staff for more research, as the council is being asked to answer questions based on their experiences and because the decision related to their pay falls under their authority. She noted staff provided a lot of information based on the council’s questions and desire to discuss the topic. Council Member Baudhuin clarified his comments. The process has been frustrating for him because he has not seen any specific data from staff, and he feels ill-equipped to decide on this issue without that data. Ms. Kennedy stated staff conducted research and presented a lot of data for council to review and consider as a part of the discussion on July 7 to address the specific topic that was proposed by council related to increasing their compensation. She noted that staff also mentioned during that discussion that there is limited data that directly correlates or connects elected official pay to issues of equity, representation or number of candidates. She reiterated that staff did find studies that indicate there are numerous factors that impact access to or a person’s decision to serve in elected office, such as gender, education and socio-economic status. She explained at the meeting on July 7, 2025, staff heard direction from council that an equity analysis on the topic of council pay was desired. She noted that through the equity analysis staff are trying to understand from the council, based on their experiences, whether other barriers exist to serving on council so future strategies can be explored to address barriers that may exist beyond pay. Staff always try to provide information council has requested to make sure they have the information they need to make decisions. Some of the questions and topics being raised were perhaps not heard or fully understood during the previous discussion. Ms. Yang added that for the analysis discussion tonight, REI staff also researched the topic based on what was discussed on July 7 and did not find pay as the sole reason or determining factor for persons running for an elected office. Council Member Rog stated there was an article in the Sun Sailor newspaper related to council salaries recently and that she creates a newsletter for her constituents. Except for those who she asked, she received no feedback about this topic. From those who responded, all were fully supportive. While this was not a formal study, she has heard no community outcry related to salaries. Docusign Envelope ID: F560D01B-4FFF-4EB9-B167-475CBAC4ADBA Special study session minutes -7- Aug. 18, 2025 Council Member Brausen observed that in 2008, there was a recession. The city council capped their salaries until 2014, when they authorized a cost-of-living increase of 3%. He stated the community understands that the council should get fair pay for hard work and residents are usually surprised when they hear that the council's salary is lower than expected. To Mayor Mohamed’s earlier comment, Council Member Budd stated that if this were a full- time job and the salary were increased, that would have an inverse effect. She stated that keeping the council member position as part-time and making the wage more equitable would take the city in the right direction. Ms. Yang stated that staff will review their notes and perform a summary analysis. The council will receive takeaways from the conversation. The meeting adjourned at 8:14 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Docusign Envelope ID: F560D01B-4FFF-4EB9-B167-475CBAC4ADBA