The Blaine mayor and City Council gave themselves a 5 percent raise at the council's Sept. 18 meeting. It's the first pay bump in eight years. To the north, St. Francis' mayor and council also passed a raise — the first since 2009.
In both cities, the hikes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2015.
The Blaine mayor's annual salary will increase to $14,313.60, an increase of $682.60.
The six Blaine council members will make $10,500 a year, an increase of about $500.
Mayor Tom Ryan requested the raise this summer. Council members and the mayor had received cost of living raises along with city staff during the 1990s. That stopped in 1998. The council last gave itself a raise in 2007 but shied away from pay increases during the economic downturn.
The mayor and council members are considered part time, but Ryan said he puts in nearly full-time hours most weeks. The mayor and council attend about two council meetings a month, plus work sessions and other board meetings. Mayor Ryan also holds regular office hours on Tuesdays.
"I take pride in what I do. I don't miss a meeting. It's not a lavish job. I don't put on airs, but if someone calls me, I go," Ryan said, explaining his raise request. Ryan said he fields calls 24 hours a day.
In St. Francis, the mayor's annual salary will increase by $900 to $5,400 in 2015. It will bump up again to $6,000 in 2016.
