City Council

City of Salem, Massachusetts “Know Your Rights Under the Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. c. 30A ss. 18-25 and City Ordinance Sections 2-2028 through 2-2033.” The City Council Committee on Ordinances Licenses and Legal Affairs ________________________ met in the Council Chamber on _Wednesday May 7, 2025 _____________ at ______6:00_______P.M. for the purpose of discussing the matters(s) listed below. Notice of this meeting was posted on __April 29, 2025__ at ___ 10:39 A.M._ (This meeting is being recorded) ATTENDANCE OLLA - Hapworth, Cohen, Jerzylo, and Morsillo. Absent: OLLA – Varela. SUBJECT(S) #138 / #48 School Committee Compensation, Per Ch. 2, Article IV, Division 11 (School Committee), Sec. 956 (compensation of members). Hapworth - commencing January 1, set 2024 members of school committee, except for the mayor, shall receive a salary equal to 8% of the mayor's, the salary of the mayor. In effect, January first.st Each year that salary shall be paid to members biweekly. The ordinance can probably stop there afterwards, it goes on to say, during the 1st 4 months of the City Council's biennial organization, the matter of the school committee's compensation shall be reviewed by the City Council, Committee, administration, and finance and recommendation reported to the City Council no later than the 1st meeting in May. The committee shall recommend the compensation of school committee members for the subsequent 2 fiscal years. There's no reason to have that in there. We already set as a percentage of the mayor's salary. So, if I took a motion, it would be to remove everything after “this salary shall be paid to members bi-weekly”. Cohen – Motion to remove strike everything after “this salary shall be paid to members bi-weekly” and seconded by Morsillo. Morsillo – The language was in there because we added the 8% in January 2024 and there was a two-step process which we no longer need because when the mayor’s salary is reviewed, then the school committee will get 8% of the mayor’s compensation. Since the rate is set, then we no longer must review the school committee salary. Hapworth – Motion carries 4-0.  Morsillo – Motin to adjourn to executive session. 4-0. The committee returned from executive session. On the motion of C. Cohen meeting adjourned at 6:28P.M. ________________________________________________________ (Chairperson)