Committee tables $5,000 stipend request for city clerk serving as records access officer

Councilor Devine's order asking the council to establish a $5,000 annual stipend for the City Clerk to recognize RAO responsibilities was discussed and tabled. The clerk's written statement (read into the record) said the office manages "approximately 20 to 30 public records requests each week" and detailed the time and coordination required for redaction, appeals and interdepartmental review.

Several councilors expressed strong support for the clerk's work but said the city's fiscal position and the need to consider raises for lower-ranking staff warranted more analysis. The committee voted to table the order and requested a salary/stipend comparison for nearby municipalities and workload data to return at a subsequent meeting.