Benefits substantial for city council members

Being a Thousand Oaks City Council member isn’t always an easy job. There are late meetings, long hours spent studying issues and listening to irate residents. But there are some benefits, too.

Council members receive a salary of $1,443 per month, before taxes.

“For the amount of time these people put into this it’s really not that much,” said Connie Hickman, the city’s human resource director.

That $1,443 monthly paycheck per council member is included in the council’s annual expenses, which for this year is budgeted at about $227,000.

Of that total, more than $106,000 goes directly toward such benefits as health, retirement, tuition reimbursement and city business expenses.

The current benefits were revised and adopted in July 2001. Upon being elected, council members and their dependents are entitled to full health benefits, including medical, dental and vision. Hickman didn’t know if council members were using the health benefits, but none had waived their policies.

“We don’t monitor who’s using the health benefits. We just supply the premiums,” Hickman said.

Council members receive an expense allowance of $375 per month for meals, mileage, vehicle use and any other expenses related to city business. Council members occasionally travel on business to cities such as Sacramento and to state and national city conferences. Life insurance valued at $250,000 is provided under the terms of a travel accident policy.

In addition, if a council member wants to go back to school, the city provides tuition reimbursement, and if a member would like to purchase a personal computer, the city offers a loan. Also, counseling is available to those who might be going through a stressful time in their personal lives.

If a council member has been on the council for five years, upon retiring he or she is eligible for continued health coverage as well as a small retirement pension. The pension percentage is based on the council member’s monthly salary and how long that person has served on the council.

“The longer you have been there and the older you are, the more it is,” Hickman said.

A council member who leaves before the five-year point would have retirement contributions refunded, said Hickman.

A portion of the council’s budget is used to pay city hall utilities. Each council member retains a small office at city hall, where some spend time studying agenda items in preparation for council meetings.

“We do see them coming in and out,” Hickman said. “Some spend more time here than others.”