Patch Answers Your Questions on Mayor's Duties, Administrator Pay

Patch recently reported the salaries of the Westminster Common Council members ($2,400 per year) and the mayor ($10,000 per year) as "numbers worth noting." There were several reader questions as a result and Patch has found the following answers.

Patch Reader Question: What are the mayor's duties? Several years ago a city administrator was hired and the salary offered on a head hunters website was listed at $107,000 and when the person was hired they were offered $110,000 in addition to numerous perks.

Patch Answer:

The mayor's duties as posted in the city's charter, are on the city's website, and are as follows:

A. The mayor shall be chief executive officer of the city government and shall be responsible for the enforcement of the city charter, this code and other ordinances. The mayor shall be the immediate supervisor of the city administrator and the city attorney and have general supervision over all administrative departments and offices of the city government.

B. The mayor shall sign all ordinances, charter amendments, resolutions and instruments; shall cause to be prepared annually an audited statement of the finances of the city as of the end of the preceding fiscal year; may call upon any officer of the city entrusted with the receipt and expenditure of public money for a statement of the officer’s account; shall advocate plans that address demands for municipal services, enhance the quality of life, and strengthen the economic vitality of the city; shall be the principal representative of the city in official and ceremonial matters; shall develop and maintain intergovernmental relationships so as to ensure that the interests, goals and objectives of the city are fulfilled; shall report to the city council regularly on the mayor’s activities and on the state of the city, its finances and administrative activities; shall see that the actions of the common council are duly and faithfully executed; and shall perform such other executive duties as may be prescribed by this charter or required by the ordinances and resolutions of the common council not inconsistent with this section or as may be necessarily implied from the powers and duties herein specified.

As for the city administrator, the Westminster city administrator's annual salary is $115,000. Here's how that salary compares to cities of comparable size:

$115,000

The duties for the city administrator in Westminster, as posted in section 29-2 of the city code are as follows:

A. There shall be a city administrator who shall be the chief administrative officer of the city. The city administrator shall be the direct subordinate of the mayor and the immediate supervisor of each department director. The mayor and common council shall select a city administrator solely on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications in the field of government and public administration, with special reference to actual experience in or knowledge of the operations of municipal government. 

B. The city administrator shall devote full time to the duties of the office.

C. The city administrator shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To exercise supervisory authority over the department directors and the city clerk;

(2) To direct the operations of the city government;

(3) To supervise the preparation of the city budget for the mayor to present to the common council;

(4) To assist the mayor and common council in the development of city policy and the implementation of plans to address demands for municipal services, enhance the quality of life and strengthen the economic vitality of the city;

(5) To perform such other duties not inconsistent with this chapter as may be delegated by the mayor and common council.