Desert Hot Springs City Council set to finalize move to double their pay

Desert Hot Springs City Council members today are expected to put the finishing touches on a significant bump in pay for themselves.

The council on Jan. 21 voted to more than double the monthly base salaries for council members, representing what would be their first pay raise in 18 years.

The ordinance will be read a mandated second time today and in 30 days, go into effect.

The move would see the mayor's base salary increase from $650 to $1,429.68, and for council members, from $550 to $1,111.62. The raises would be the first for the council since 2002.

If it goes through, the proposal would cost city coffers more than $36,000 per year.

The selected rates reflect the average for elected officials across the Coachella Valley, city staff say.

"Staff conducted a compensation survey of Coachella Valley cities that included totals of base rates and allowances,'' according to a city staff report."This survey shows an average total monthly compensation for council members to be $1,783.62 and for mayors to be $2,101.28.''

The budgeted $600 auto allowance for council members and $72 phone allowance would be unchanged.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 11-999 Palm Drive.