According to an article in the Miles City Star Mayor Joe Whalen asked the City Council for a 30% raise in his salary from $20,000/year to $26,000/year. The City Council rejected his request and offered a more modest $3,600 raise instead. Apparently the mayor declined that offer.

The office of mayor is an elected position and is considered to be part time.

Voting in favor of the raise were Councilmembers Ackerman, Ahner, and Thibault.

Voting against the raise were Councilmembers Meidinger, Melnik, Partridge, Ronning, and Uden.

Apparently at the same council meeting an effort was also made to eliminate the position of City Grant Administrator but the decision was made to keep the position but express "dissatisfaction with grant writing at the city" to the mayor and suggest "greater supervision in that department".

If the Miles City Star homepage was complete and up-to-date, you would see that a very good editorial was written about this meeting. It appeared to be very poorly run.

Miles City is very lucky to have a mayor like Joe Whalen. He is a good man and cares very deeply for the good of Miles City. As far as iam concerned he has done more good for Miles City than any of the previos mayors. He gets paid half pay for a full time job...I think the council should double his pay for the job he has done for the good of MILES CITY. GOOD JOB JOE...

I did not vote in favor of the raise. I voted against the motion to keep the $20,000.00/year, as the council had previously settled on a $3600 raise in budget meetings. I didn't think we should change that negotiated figure. I did not offer a motion to keep the $3600 figure as there were not enough votes to support it, as evidenced by the vote on the motion.

Councilperson Thibault
(and Brian Reed's former in-law)

[This message has been edited by Kelly (9/17/2009)]

I no longer live in Miles City so I can't comment on how well Mayor Whalen is performing his job or how much time he is putting in, but I don't think now is the time to be asking for a raise - practically or politically.

If it were pointed out that the Office of the Mayor hasn't had a raise in 15years, would that change your mind?

Note...I voted on this for the position, not for Joe Whalen.

[This message has been edited by Kelly (9/17/2009)]

Sorry, Kelly, I guess I misinterpreted the story in the Star.

Didn't Mayor Whalen offer to waive his salary when he first became mayor and the council wouldn't let him do that?

The mayor of the town I live in, Redmond, WA, gets paid $106,000/year plus a $500/month car allowance. Wow.

Anyhow, I too think that Miles City is lucky to have Mayor Whalen. He's accomplished a lot in his time as mayor. And I think he's yet to call one of the department heads "sweet cheeks".

$20,000 seems to me to be a pathetic salary for a job of this responsibility, even if it really is part time.

$20k/year???

You could make more than that as a paper boy here. That's crazy.

20k/year as a part-time position is a pretty fair deal for a small cow-town in Montana with a stable economy and infrastructure.

In a growing community of ever-younger professionals looking to establish itself as the business epicenter in SE Montana and stabilize itself after years of poor management.... not so much. This is most definitely a full-time gig.

Good performance needs to be rewarded. Miles City had a chance to correct a glaringly obvious imbalance. As citizens you should flood your councilman with requests for this to be re-addressed.

The article I read was written by Star Staff Writer Amanda Breitbach and it was on the front page of the Wednesday, September 9, 2009, Miles City Star. The title: Council opposes raise for mayor, 5-3

Portions of the article:

Members of the Miles City Council presented a number of amendments to the budget for fiscal year 2009-10 on Tuesday night.

...

The first amendment to the budget, suggested by Councilman John Uden, was to strike the $6,000 raise requested by Mayor Joe Whalen. Whalen requested a 30 percent raise for 2009-10, which would have increased his salary from $20,000 to $26,106.

Whalen did not attend the meeting.

Uden said in light of probable future expenses and the need to conserve money, he did not feel the mayor's request was reasonable. He also pointed out that Whalen had rejected the budget committee's offer of a more modest $3,600 raise, stating, "If he's not willing to accept that, I don't feel he should receive this raise."

Ward 1 representative Leroy Meidinger seconded the motion, noting that the mayor of Miles City holds a part-time position.

"He ran knowing that it was a $20,000 annual pay," Meidinger said, adding that if the mayor's salary were to be increased, that should be done prior to a new mayor's term.

Miles City Council President and Finance Committee Chairman Mark Ahner opposed the amendment, stating that the salary for a Miles City mayor has not been increased for at least 15 years, while council members themselves received a raise just five years ago.

"People don't run for mayor for the salary. They run to do a public service," he said. Nonetheless, Ahner said, a more competitive salary could be an incentive for qualified individuals. In a later interview Ahner said that Whalen had already reduced his original operations budget, which includes items like travel and training, by about $5,000.

Community member Mary Catherine Dunphy spoke to the council prior to the deliberations to express support for the raise. Dunphy said she was shocked when she read how low the mayor's salary is.

"I think it's important for the future of the city and who will run for mayor," she said. "If you want someone who's professional in this job, you have to offer a salary that's livable."

Dunphy added that the part-time approach sometimes taken by past mayors has at times led to problems and extra expenses for the city. While she does not agree with everything Whalen has done in the position, she said, she does believe he has worked hard and deserves the raise.

Ultimately, the council passed the amendment, eliminating the raise 5-3. In addition to Uden and Meidinger, Bill Melnik, Jerry Partridge and Leif Ronning opposed the raise. Ahner, Tony Ackerman, and Kelly Thibault supported it.

..."

Miles City Star

David:

Obviously you didn't misread the article. I just wanted to clarify a bit. The Star article isn't technically wrong, just not nuanced.

Kelly

RE: "He ran knowing that it was a $20,000 annual pay," Meidinger said, adding that if the mayor's salary were to be increased, that should be done prior to a new mayor's term.

That last comment is the silliest thing I've ever heard. I doubt the council waited to implement their own raises until new council member's terms started. If the mayor's position has not had a pay raise in 15 years, I think it is very overdue, regardless of the current economic situation. Maybe if the council gave their last raise back that could cover the mayor's raise!

""He ran knowing that it was a $20,000 annual pay,""

Given the split on the vote it looks like there is some "out-of-towner-ism" being practiced here.

Richard:

A guy getting "home towned" in Miles City?

NEVER!

[This message has been edited by Bob L. (9/18/2009)]

"Given the split on the vote it looks like there is some "out-of-towner-ism" being practiced here."

Dang Richard, you are astute!

By the way, I visited with your dad the other day.

All "Yea's" and "Boo's" aside, as a non-resident, I have a question.

It's been stated here on several occasions that the Mayor has accomplished "a lot" and that "Good performance needs to be rewarded."

Just out of curiosity, what significant achievement and/or economic benefit has Mayor Whalen brought to the City?

I'm a non-resident as well...

I can tell you he's not a buffoon; not sure the same could be said of his predecessor.

I don't think "He's not Butch" gets you a raise.

Point taken.

Ummmmm.

He's saved the city significant legal costs (compared to his predecessor).

No argument there.

He, the city council, various board members, and city employees as well as past mayors/councilmembers/board members deserve credit for:[f] -- Getting the Riverside Park water tank replaced.
-- Getting the Carbon Hill water tank replaced.
-- Making significant improvements to the northeast area
water lines.
-- Setting up a city health board.
-- Encouraging the placement of the Eastern Montana Enterprise
Systems Services Center in Miles City.
-- Operating under a balanced budget and building the city's
reserve funds -- during exceptionally poor economic times.
-- Representing the interests of all city residents in the
matter of the new FEMA flood plain map and the city's poor
dike system.
-- Improving the water quality at the Oasis swimming lake and
getting the pool staffed with lifeguards.

Some of the things that I feel Joe Whalen has personally done:

-- Got the City of Miles City website up.
-- Finalized negotiations/settlements on several personnel
matters left over from the previous mayor.
-- Conducted professional meetings in accordance with open
meeting laws.
-- Conducted himself professionally and in a dignified manner
while representing the City.
-- Served as an ambassador and community leader for Miles City,
putting forth a friendly and inviting attitude that encourages
visitors and new businesses.
-- Goes out of his way to keep the public informed of what's
going on in City government.
-- Is fair and demonstrates a skill for helping opposing
parties find resolution to conflict.
-- Is smart, knows the laws that impact his position and the
City, and knows when to seek outside advice if necessary.
-- Comes up with new ideas for solving old problems.
-- Serves in his role as mayor with nothing but the best
interests of the community in mind and graciously takes the
lumps along with the accolades.[/f]
Joe Whalen came to town and immediately said, "I love this place." Most of us had to grow some pretty deep roots before we felt that kind of affection for Miles City.

This is just my 1000-mile away view on the community. I may have some of this wrong and I'm sure I have missed much that he and other city leaders have accomplished in the time that Whalen has been mayor.

Wow, Dave.

Nice effort. That's way better than my list.

Something to think about - Mayor Whalen has more support and admiration from his fellow mayors than any local politco I've ever had the chance to interview or follow.

Last spring I interviewed mayors from across eastern Montana. 12 made the cutting room floor. We gave Miles City more time than the other towns because during my chats with all our mayors 90% of them without prompting or MC-related questioning brought up Mayor Whalen's leadership style, his accomplishments, and his ability to negotiate both local problems and issues with the state and feds in an efficient and effective manor. Many expressed that he was their the standard in which they strove to achieve. His admirers were from both parties and it was, frankly, a refreshing surprise in our series of interviews.

I should also point out that even the leadership of Glendive recognizes his ability as city council members, the Glendive Mayor, county commissioners, staff, and members of the economic development council made a "trip to mecca" to learn how to handle floodplain issues because of the perceive success of his efforts.

Thanks for that perspective, Emily.

It sounds like some menbers of Council should pay more attention. The rest of Eastern Montana is.

WOW david what list. Hit the nail on the hed. As former council member working with Joe was a real pleasure. When he brings something to the table he has reseached the facts the best that he can. I live in a town now where they have a city adminastor and he reports to the mayor.Not a hands on mayor like Joe who knows what is going on. The council should reconsider the raise it would be money well spent.