Roseburg Council approves 5% salary increase for municipal judge and city manager

Roseburg City Council has approved a 5% salary increase for both the municipal court judge and the city manager during their meeting on January 27, 2025. This decision aligns with adjustments made for non-represented employees and reflects a broader cost of living increase.

The municipal court judge's salary will rise to $6,267 per month, retroactive to November 1, 2024. The council noted that this adjustment is consistent with increases granted to represented labor groups, which also received a 5% raise this fiscal year.

Similarly, the city manager's salary will increase to $15,562 per month, effective retroactively from September 1, 2024. This adjustment was discussed in the context of comparisons with salaries from similar-sized cities, where the average compensation for city managers was found to be approximately $15,970. The city manager's current salary is about 7.75% below this average, and the new increase will bring it closer to the median.

Council members engaged in discussions regarding the rationale behind the 5% increase, emphasizing that it is intended to address cost of living adjustments. Some members expressed concerns about the magnitude of the increase, suggesting that a lower percentage might be more appropriate given personal household expenses. However, the council ultimately agreed that the increase is justified based on comparative salary data from other cities.

The meeting underscored the importance of aligning municipal salaries with broader economic trends while ensuring that compensation remains competitive to attract and retain qualified leadership within the city. The council's decisions reflect a commitment to maintaining fair and equitable pay for city officials in the face of rising living costs.