Oak Harbor Salary Commission approves 2.5% COLA for mayor and council, effective Feb. 1, 2026

The Oak Harbor Salary Commission voted to grant a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the mayor and for city council members, with both raises set to take effect Feb. 1, 2026. The commission approved separate motions for council members and for the mayor by voice vote and instructed staff to route the signed report to the City Council as a notice.

Commission members reviewed salary comparables and implementation logistics before voting. The commission recorded current annual pay in the discussion: the mayor’s base salary was given as $135,000 and council members’ annual pay as $14,400. Applying a 2.5% COLA increases the mayor’s salary by $3,375 to about $138,375 and raises council pay by $360 to $14,760; commissioners presented those illustrative figures for discussion.

Hillary (named in the transcript) clarified implementation constraints, saying, “No retroactive pay is allowed,” when commissioners asked whether the COLA could be backdated to Jan. 1. Staff advised the commission that once the report is drafted and signed it can be placed on the next council agenda as a notice; council action on the commission’s recommendation is not required.

Commission discussion noted prior communication issues around salary changes and emphasized presenting mayor and council recommendations together to avoid confusion. Commissioners also referenced workload expectations for council members as part of the pay rationale and asked staff and the communications manager, Maggie, to ensure clearer public notice when the item is presented to council.

Both motions were described and carried by voice vote; the transcript records the commission chair asking for the ayes and stating the motion carried. The record does not include a roll-call vote or a tally of individual votes. The commission set effective date 02/01/2026 for both actions and assigned staff to draft the report for signature and placement on the council agenda as notice.

The commission discussed next steps, including a planned review of bylaws at the next scheduled meeting (Sept. 15 was suggested) to clarify procedures and timing for future compensation reviews. The meeting adjourned after the commission confirmed its availability for follow-up steps.