BROOKLYN PARK, MN. (April 29) The Brooklyn Park City Council voted 6\u20130 Monday to table a proposal that would more than double the annual salary of the city\u2019s mayor, citing the need for further consultation with the city\u2019s charter commission.<\/p>\n
The proposal would increase the mayor\u2019s salary from $21,995 to $50,000 annually. Under the measure, the increase would not take effect until the next mayoral term begins following the November election.<\/p>\n
Mayor Hollies Winston abstained from the vote and said he did not bring the proposal forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t bring this forward,\u201d Winston said during the meeting. \u201cIt was not necessarily a priority for myself. If it takes further consideration, that makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Charter Commission Role and Council Concerns<\/p>\n
The proposed increase exceeds a prior recommendation from the Brooklyn Park Charter Commission, which advised a roughly five percent adjustment to the mayor\u2019s salary.<\/p>\n
Council members said moving forward with a significantly larger increase without additional consultation raised concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo do it the way that we are considering this evening shows disrespect to the charter commission,\u201d said Council Member Tony McGarvey. \u201cThey\u2019re there to advise us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Council Member Amanda Cheng Xiong said she supports reviewing compensation levels but agreed the council should first meet with the commission before determining any changes.<\/p>\n
Compensation Structure<\/p>\n
The proposal also includes a three percent increase for city council members, whose current annual salary is $12,578.<\/p>\n
Winston has previously stated that the mayor\u2019s role carries additional time demands and responsibilities compared to council members, including scheduling obligations and broader public expectations.<\/p>\n
Public Input<\/p>\n
Residents offered mixed reactions during public comment.<\/p>\n
P.J. Hubbard said the role warrants consideration for increased compensation but emphasized the need to balance pay with broader community priorities, including youth services, economic development, and property taxes.<\/p>\n
Other residents opposed the scale of the increase. Steve Marsolek described the proposal as excessive, while Bill Schweikert said he supports a raise in principle but not at the proposed level, citing the charter commission\u2019s recommendation.<\/p>\n
Next Steps<\/p>\n
The council will meet with the charter commission to review the proposal before taking further action. No timeline has been announced for when the measure will return for consideration.<\/p>\n
Any approved increase would apply only to the next mayoral term and would not affect the current officeholder.<\/p>\n