The Dillon Town Council is considering increasing pay for future council members as well as compensating previously unpaid planning and zoning board members for their work for the town.

At the council’s meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 7, the council voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would increase council pay to $750 per month, per member, with the mayor making $1,400 a month. The changes to council member’s pay would not take effect until a council member is reelected or a new member is elected to replace them.

If approved on second reading after a public hearing scheduled for the council’s meeting on Nov. 21, the ordinance would also result in members of the Dillon Planning and Zoning Commission being paid $250 per month.

While the Town Council, last Tuesday, agreed that members of the planning and zoning commission should be paid, there was disagreement about whether the council member pay should increase from its current rate of $500 per month for members and $1,000 per month for the mayor.

Council member Renee Imamura said other Summit County towns have recently increased pay for their members and that while the position is largely a volunteer position, it requires a significant amount of work.

“Nobody is doing this job for the pay,” Imamura said at the council meeting Tuesday. “We’re doing it because we care about the town and we want to be educated. It’s important to talk to everybody out there, to talk to the public and do the research and be open minded and make the best decisions we possibly can. We want to attract good people to do that.”

Council member John Woods agreed that a pay increase for council members is warranted. Woods noted that council compensation is “a miniscule part of the budget” and described the pay increase not as a raise but as a “cost of living adjustment.”

“As far as I’m concerned, I don’t want this town council to be considered a volunteer role,” Woods said. “I don’t consider it a volunteer role. I mean I’m working this job as my No. 1 job.”

Council member Tony Scalise agreed that a pay increase was warranted due to the changing cost of living. Council member Dana Christensen also expressed interest in a pay raise for future council members.

But Mayor Carolyn Skowyra said she doesn’t think the pay increase is necessary. Skowyra noted that the town of Silverthorne pays its council members $500 per month and the mayor $1,000 per month, the same as Dillon.

By comparison, Breckenridge pays town council members $1,200 per month and the mayor $1,500 per month, while Frisco pays its council members $750 per month and the mayor $1,250 per month, according to a staff memo included in the Dillon Town Council agenda packet.

Council member Kyle Hendricks agreed that a pay increase for future council members isn’t necessary. Hendricks said he doesn’t feel the need to increase compensation because being a council member “is part of my duty as a resident.”

Only the towns of Blue River, Breckenridge and Frisco pay planning and zoning commission members, the staff memo states. Blue River pays $100 per month to planning and zoning commission members, while Breckenridge pays $400 per month to members and Frisco pays $200 per month.

There was a brief discussion Tuesday about whether or not to pay members of the Planning and Zoning Commission during months when the commission cancels or does not hold its meetings.