Serve on a city of Lacey advisory board? You could get paid under new proposal
The city of Lacey is weighing a plan to offer a stipend to its advisory board members as a way to attract, retain and increase diversity on those boards.
The idea was spurred by the city’s relatively new equity commission, and now Assistant City Manager Shannon Kelley-Fong, who oversees the equity commission, is getting feedback on the idea from the city’s other commissions.
Last week, she pitched the idea to the Lacey Planning Commission.
The city is recommending paying a stipend to its non-regional boards. Those boards are the Board of Park commissioners, the Civil Service commission, the Commission on Equity, the Historical Commission, the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters disability board, the Library Board, the Planning Commission, the Lacey Youth Council, the Lodging Tax Committee and ad hoc groups.
The financial impact to the city is estimated to range from $15,000 to $40,000 per year, according to data shared during the meeting.
The city of Olympia pays its advisory board members $25 per meeting attended, or they can choose to waive the stipend, Kelley-Fong told the commission. If they self-identify as low income, they have the option of choosing a $50 amount, she said.
Lacey is considering a stipend similar to Olympia’s, using a tiered amount based on meetings attended, Kelley-Fong said.
Although the commission seemed supportive of the stipend, some did not the like idea of making potential advisory board members self-identify as low income.
“Having people self-identify as low income could create derision and ‘othering,’” said Commissioner Kyrian MacMichael. “It feels exclusive instead of inclusive.”
Commissioner Mark Mininger wondered whether the city was trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. He asked for specific advisory board data to see if there is something preventing people from joining the boards.
Kelley-Fong didn’t have that data, but based on other recent city surveys, the data show “there is an under representation of voices in the community.”
Commissioner Dave Wasson voiced his support for the stipend, saying it could help someone with babysitting or fuel for their car.
“If it opens a door to representing more of our community better on this commission, or on any of our groups, that would be a positive thing for our community,” he said.
Up next, Kelley-Fong said she is going to get feedback from the historical commission and the parks board, then the equity commission is expected to make a recommendation to Lacey City Council by the end of March.
This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
