Woodbury City Council, Mayor Get Pay Raise

After much discussion over the past few months, the Woodbury City Council on Wednesday gave itself a pay raise.

The city, the 10th largest in the state, was “significantly behind” comparable cities, paying its mayor and council members 30 percent less than the average, according to Jody Vogl, administration services director.

The raises won’t go into effect until 2013; under state law such pay increases are delayed until after the next municipal election.

Come 2013, the mayor’s salary will increase from $8,520 to $11,004, while council members’ pay will go from $6,540 to $8,100.

Another bump slated for 2015 will bring the mayor’s pay to $13,344 per year and the council’s to $9,660 annually.

The city hadn’t addressed the matter since 2005.

Council members have often acknowledged their difficulties in discussing the issue, and Councilmen Paul Rebholz and Christopher Burns voted against a resolution to raise council pay while supporting the measure to increase the mayor’s salary, which passed unanimously.

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