LIHU‘E — A new Salary Commission resolution received by the Kaua‘i County Council Wednesday freezes the salaries of county department heads and Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. for at least another year. By choosing to receive the resolution, the council shelves
LIHU‘E — A new Salary Commission resolution received by the Kaua‘i County Council Wednesday freezes the salaries of county department heads and Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. for at least another year.
By choosing to receive the resolution, the council shelves it without action, and it becomes law after 60 days.
“The Salary Commission took the council’s recommendation very seriously in sending a resolution prior to March 15,” Boards and Commissions administrator Paula Murakami said of the deadline set by the County Charter.
Councilman Mel Rapozo, the only member of the council who voted against receiving the resolution, indicated that he disagreed that Carvalho’s salary should remain the same as the police and fire chiefs.
Councilman Tim Bynum said it was Carvalho’s choice to have his salary frozen, and that the county auditor and the county prosecuting attorney get paid more than the mayor.
Months ago, the Salary Commission approved a pay raise to the police and fire chiefs, and capped their pay at $114,490, the same as Carvalho’s pay.
Carvalho’s salary was scheduled to increase to $122,504 on July 1, 2013. The police and fire chiefs were also scheduled for an increase, but to $114,848. Other department heads would have had a similar pay to the police and fire chiefs.
But Resolution 2012-03 amends Resolution 2012-01, by deleting all raises scheduled for Fiscal Year 2014, which starts July 1, 2013.
The new resolution had been unanimously approved by the Salary Commission on Nov. 16, and subsequently sent to the council, who took it up Wednesday.
The remaining council members who supported the resolution praised the commission for extending a salary freeze in effect since 2008 for the mayor and most department heads. But they also joined Rapozo in giving the commission some flack for the lack of a comprehensive report attached to the resolution, supporting the commission’s decision.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
