CARMEL – The Putnam County Legislature’s Rules Committee has approved amending the county charter limiting and restraining the salaries of the nine-member governing body in addition to that of the county executive.
By a 3-0 vote, committee members Amy Sayegh, Dan Birmingham and William Gouldman agreed to fix the amount of the legislators’ annual salary beginning January 1, 2027, by not increasing the wage more than once during a four-year period with any increase not exceeding the average annual consumer price index for the preceding four years.
The resolution also provides that the chairperson will receive an additional stipend equal to 25 percent of the annual salary.
Legislators currently receive $48,000 annually for their part-time position.
Discussion also focused on the county’s “Chief Executive Officer: Election, term and qualifications.”
The committee determined that the county executive will be elected in even-numbered years, serve a four-year term, and be limited to two consecutive terms.
Other approved requirements say that the executive may not hold any other elected public or political office during the term and must devote full working time to the duties of county executive.
The resolution also says that the executive’s compensation shall not be decreased during the term of office nor shall compensation be increased more than once in any four-year period.
The committee also decided that, unless a general or special state law requires repeal of the term-limit provision, any change to term limits will require a unanimous vote of the legislature.
The entire legislature must approve the revisions at its October meeting.
Comments