The Human Resources and Information Technology Committee met 09/25/2024. It was a brief meeting, 4 minutes of which was spent discussion and voting on the aldermanic salary for the 2026-27 aldermanic term.
The committee voted 5-0 to keep the salary at the current level of $6,750 with no increase for 2026.
No mention was made of the aldermanic parking pass, so I presume that will also remain a part of the aldermanic compensation.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
Alderperson Katie Van Zeeland (District 5) noted that the Council did not vote on their own salaries but instead voted on the salaries for future alders. She explained her support for not increasing the salary thusly: “a personal reasoning for not looking at a small increase, which usually happens around this time or next year, is just the effects of inflation on our citizens. I think it’s really our responsibility to be frugal, just as they have been frugal.”
Alderperson Sheri Hartzheim (District 13) also supported no increase, but in her case it was due to the overpayments that had happened in previous years. “In the past, there have been inconsistencies and issues with particular vote threshold that’s required for approval of salaries, and, unfortunately, we as a body […] always met that threshold as is appropriate, and as a result, […] there’s been some overpayments on some salaries to alderpersons. I wouldn’t say insignificant, but I wouldn’t say hugely significant either. Now, should we, quote, punish the future as a payment for the past? No. But the constituents of the of this city still deserve to have their money’s worth, and for that reason, I would like to have this stayed for this year.”
Alderperson Van Zeeland took issue with the term “overpayment” and said, “I just want to be careful with the phrase overpayment, because as I understand it, you know, there may have been a procedural issue, but that procedural issue was reaffirmed in future votes. I still think this is the right thing to do, but I just want to clarify that for people at home, so that they don’t think that people just received free money and are keeping it.”
The committee went on to vote 5-0 to approve a 0% increase to the current alderperson salary, keeping the salary at the existing level of $6,750.
[I didn’t really understand Alderperson Van Zeeland’s concern about using the term “overpayment.” I don’t know what other word would more accurately describe the payment of excess funds which is what happened in this situation. For 4 of the last 8 years, the aldermanic salary that was paid out was in excess of either what the Common Council explicitly approved or what was statutorily allowable given the vote totals. Eventually, these salary increases were approved in a manner that met Wisconsin’s statutory requirements, but that subsequent approval did not make the past incorrect increases retroactively legal. So, from my perspective, since 2017, there have indeed been approximately $15,000 worth of overpayments made to various alderpersons, and if the individuals who received those excess payments have not returned them then they did indeed receive free money that they were not entitled to but are now keeping.]
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1229225&GUID=D5F3CCB8-FCA3-4060-B68B-5C2487D23682
One thought on “Human Resources And Information Technology Committee Approves $0 Increase To 2026-27 Aldermanic Salary – Will Keep Salary At Currently Level of $6,750 Per Year”