Cape Coral City Council will again discuss proposed changes to the city’s charter pertaining to member compensation.

After the elected board failed to reach consensus on its first proposal at its last workshop, Council will discuss three possible charter amendments Wednesday, each of which would result with higher salaries than are provided in the current charter.

Each also would eliminate “payment for expenses” or “prohibit a monetary stipend,” a controversial add-on enacted by the current Council which effectively doubled total remuneration for the mayor and Council members retroactive to Oct. 1 of last year.

The second referendum proposal on Council pay states “Shall the Cape Coral City Charter be amended to eliminate payment for expenses and require City Council to establish, by ordinance, the annual salary and compensation for the mayor at $80,000 and councilmembers at $65,000, with a 10% maximum increase yearly based upon population? The ordinance shall not be effective until the date of commencement of the terms of councilmembers elected at the next regular election, provided adoption is at least six months prior.”

The third proposal up for discussion states “Shall the Cape Coral City Charter be amended to eliminate payment for expenses and requiring City Council to establish, by ordinance, their total annual salary and compensation determined by a wage analysis with City Council compensation set at the 75th percentile of results? The ordinance shall not be effective until the date of commencement of the terms of the councilmembers elected at the next regular election, provided adoption is at least six months prior.”

The fourth proposal states “Shall the Cape Coral City Charter be amended to prohibit a monetary stipend and establish the total annual salary and compensation based on population, with the annual salary for the mayor set at $0.34 per capita and for councilmembers at $0.28 per capita, together with a cost-of-living adjustment, with a maximum 6% adjustment based on population and cost of living? The total compensation shall become effective on Jan. 1st each year.”

Initiatives are limited to 75 words, which is legally required for ballot language.

Currently, Council compensation is a city charter provision.

Voters on Nov. 3, 2015, approved a charter change from compensation determined per-voter to a flat rate. The initial base was set at $36,600 per year for the mayor and $32,600 per year for other members of the eight-person elected board.

That referendum also established cost-of-living increases, based on the Social Security COLA, beginning in January of 2017,

According to the most recent numbers posted to the city’s website, the mayor’s position currently is compensated at approximately $45,604 per year, $65,731 with benefits and other wages. Council member compensation is approximately $40,620 per year, $51,565 with benefits and other wages.

The city charter also currently states “The council members and mayor shall receive their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties of office.”

In December, Council added to its annual remuneration by approving stipends for its members in addition to the salaries as provided by the city charter.

Approved as part of its consent agenda, Council set its stipend amounts at $5,000 per month for the mayor and $3,333 per month for city council members, retroactive to Oct. 1, the start of the city’s new budget year.

Council members said the stipends were not compensation but an addition to Council salaries and that a portion of the stipend is intended to cover additional duties and expenses Council members are incurring due to growth in the city.

At the county level, salaries for elected officials and constitutional officers are set by the state. Salaries are computed using a base rate plus a formula based on population.

In Lee County, county commissioners earn $114,881. School board members receive $51,938. The salaries of constitutional officers, who also are the administrative head of their respective agencies vary from $189,252 for the clerk of the circuit court, property appraiser, supervisor of elections, tax collector to $227,170 for the sheriff. Lee County’s elected superintendent of schools, whomever that may be come November, will earn $189,252.

The Council workshop will be held at 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 24, in City Council chambers, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd. The meeting is open to the public.