Councilman Suggests City Explore Options to Pay Council Members

(Springfield, MO) -- Springfield City Council members serve on a volunteer basis, but that could change.

At Monday night's council meeting, Councilman Tommy Bieker proposed a committee to look a the city's charter on council members benefits.

As it stands, the mayor receives a $200 monthly stipend, and besides a few other expenses covered, Council is a volunteer board. The last time the charter was evaluated was 1953.

The proposal sends the idea of a salary or paid Council to a committee which will then send their plan to the Council. If Council approves, it would go to a public vote.

Bieker says this isn't a self motivated proposal, but could help the city and future Council members.

"It can take out a whole portion of a population that is very well qualified to serve on it that financially they can't do it because if they have to dedicate that much time to this position. It's going to sacrifice in their job and they're paid hourly and they said, 'I can't do it', and that leave these position opened to primarily retired or independently wealthy that can take the time out and is that a true representation of our population?"

Beiker says that cities with similar demographics pay Council members anywhere from $5,000-$6,000 a year all the way to $50,000-$60,000 a year with benefits.