Newport council should let voters decide stipend for councilors

To the editor:

As reported in the Lincoln Chronicle this past July, Newport’s mayor and other council members, except for Councilor Sandy Roumagoux, disregarded the recommendation of its stipend/compensation workgroup and voted themselves a stipend of $300 per month starting in January.

The stipend/compensation workgroup, which included former Newport council members, was appointed by the council for the purpose of recommending a course of action on the issue, which was that it should be decided by a vote of the people, not by council members who would directly benefit from it. That was a sound and sensible recommendation from the workgroup, and one that the council should revisit and reconsider next year.

There is no doubt the Newport city council puts in a lot of hours on behalf of the city organization and community. As a former Newport council member for more than 13 years, I can attest to that. But all the current council members chose to serve as unpaid volunteers, either by getting elected or, for some, getting appointed to fill a vacancy on the council.

If the purpose of a monthly stipend is to attract more candidates to run for office and serve on the Newport city council, which is a stated and worthy goal, then let the voters who will put them in office ultimately decide the issue.

— David N. Allen/Newport