ORDINANCE NO. BL2013-360

An ordinance providing for a study of the compensation and benefits of elected officials of the Metropolitan Government.

WHEREAS, § 18.05 of the Metropolitan Charter provides that the salaries paid to the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and members of the Metropolitan County Council (“Council”) may be changed by the Council as a part of the general pay plan, but shall not be increased or diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected; and

WHEREAS, the salaries for the positions of Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Members of Council were last changed in 2003; and

WHEREAS, prior to the 2003 change, the Department of Human Resources utilized a consultant to conduct a study to determine whether the salaries of the Mayor, Vice Mayor and Members of Council should be changed in order to reflect appropriate compensation based upon the duties of the jobs and comparative relationship with the salaries of similar classifications in comparable cities; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate that a similar compensation study be conducted and completed prior to the submission of the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 operating budget; and

WHEREAS, Members of Council are currently eligible to participate in the Metropolitan Government health insurance program under the same terms and conditions as are available for regular Metropolitan Government employees; and

WHEREAS, upon leaving office after serving eight (8) years, which is the equivalent of two terms under the term limit provision of § 1.07 of the Metropolitan Charter, Members of Council may elect to continue the health care plan provided they pay the contribution rates equivalent to those rates paid by Metropolitan Government employees; and

WHEREAS, as a result of the term limit provision of § 1.07 of the Metropolitan Charter approved by the voters in 1994, the number of living former Members of Council continues to increase; and

WHEREAS, the 40-member Metropolitan Council is the third largest local legislative body in the United States; and

WHEREAS, as part of the compensation study, the Metropolitan Department of Human Resources should examine the benefits offered to current and former elected officials in comparable cities and make recommendations to the Council regarding any modifications that should be made to cause elected official benefits to be more in line with benefits offered in comparable cities, taking into account the size of the Council and the term limit provisions of § 1.07 of the Metropolitan Charter.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. The Metropolitan Department of Human Resources is hereby authorized and directed to conduct a compensation and benefits study for the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Members of the Metropolitan Council. Such study shall be completed not later than December 31, 2014, and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. An examination of the salaries of the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Members of Council, or the equivalents thereof, in cities that are comparable in size to the Metropolitan Government.
2. An examination of the benefits offered to current and former elected officials in comparable cities.
3. Recommendations regarding whether and to what extent the salaries of the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Members of Council should be modified, taking into account:
a. The duties of the jobs;
b. The comparative relationship with the salaries of similar classifications in comparable cities;
c. The size of the local legislative bodies in comparable size; and
d. Whether members of the local legislative body serve on a part-time or full-time basis.
4. Recommendations regarding whether and to what extent the benefits offered to current and former Mayors, Vice Mayors, and Members of Council should be modified to be
more in line with the benefits offered such officials in comparable cities, taking into
account the long term costs of such benefits and the impact the term limit provisions of
§ 1.07 of the Metropolitan Charter have on such costs.

Section 2. The Department of Human Resources is further authorized to utilize the services
of a consultant to be selected by the Department to assist with the compensation and benefits study required by this Ordinance.

Section 3. This Ordinance shall take effect from and after its passage, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Brady Banks, Lonnell Matthews, Emily Evans

Amendment No. 1
To
Ordinance No. BL2013-360

Madam President:

I move to amend Ordinance No. BL2013-360 by deleting the date “December 31, 2014”, wherein it appears in Section 1, and substituting with the date “March 31, 2014”.

Sponsored by: Brady Banks

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Introduced:	February 5, 2013
Passed First Reading:	February 5, 2013
Deferred Indefinitely:	February 5, 2013
Referred to:	Budget & Finance Committee Personnel Committee
Put back on May 21, 2013 Agenda:	May 15, 2013
Amended:	May 21, 2013
Passed Second Reading:	May 21, 2013
Passed Third Reading:	June 4, 2013
Approved:	June 6, 2013
By: