going to go ahead and get
started, guys.
>> This webinar is being
recorded and summarized.
>> Okay. Welcome everybody. I'm
going to call to order the
meeting of the Compensation
Review Commission on Wednesday,
DECEMBER 17th, 2025, at
whatever time it actually is.
Six 3634 okay, I'm going to
call the roll, okay. Ellen
Flynn Gile present. Scott
Horton present. Maura Dunnigan
Rashida George present. Ginnie
Gick.
>> Present.
>> Kia Payne.
>> Present.
>> And we know that MR. Ponnuri
is absent. He has already
informed us of that and will
hope that Maura makes it before
the end of the meeting. So the
first thing on the agenda is to
approve the minutes of DECEMBER
3rd. Can I have a motion to
approve?
>> a motion to approve the
minutes from DECEMBER 3rd?
>> I'll second.
>> Okay. All in favor or any
discussion? Any discussion?
Does anybody have any
corrections or adjustments or
anything? Okay then I'll go
down. I'll go down the the list
again for I just to make sure
Ellen Flynn Gile I Scott Horton.
I Rashida George. I Ginnie Gick
I and Kia Peyton.
>> I.
>> So that's unanimous for the
members present. And now we
move on to discussion of
outstanding questions. Do you
have anything in particular to
advance on, or is there
something we need to establish.
>> Yeah, I can go through
quickly some questions that I
have, and then we can open it
up for any other commission
members that want to talk about
the draft. I'm going to share
my screen. Okay. This is the
draft of the report that was
shared with you by email. Yes.
And I am going to scroll down
to the top of page three. I
added a paragraph briefly
explaining the Commission's
decision on their preliminary
recommendations. That's new
language since our last meeting.
So I wanted to give you a
chance to take a look at that.
>> And that was what we agreed
to insert, to make it clear
that we took advice from
counsel.
>> Yeah, I can't remember who,
but somebody asked that we
mention it.
>> It was Joel Hurwitz.
>> Oh, right. Yeah. Member of
the public.
>> a member of the public. And
I think it was necessary to
explain why we changed. Why
what was an initial change? I
mean, that that was important.
So okay, I don't does anybody
have any questions about that
or any comments.
>> No. I think that was helpful.
So yeah definitely helpful okay.
>> Okay I'm gonna move on. The
section is yellow is what Maura
had written in justification of
the salary increase for council
members. I just wanted to
highlight that for you, since
that was new from our first
draft, but I didn't get any
email comments on that, so I'm
going to.
>> It was pretty
straightforward. Yeah, I think
reflected the discussion.
>> Absolutely.
>> Yeah. Anybody else have
anything to add? I want to make
sure because now I can only see
okay, Rashida name is huge. And
the rest of you are a little
teeny tiny words at the bottom.
So I just want to make sure
everybody, everybody gets heard.
Okay.
>> This is key. I thought it
was really great.
>> Okay, good.
>> Thank you. Yeah. Thanks. And
thanks to Maura.
>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> And I think we said thanks
tomorrow, but thanks again,
Maura. But definitely again
really helpful. And I think
it's just comprehensive.
>> Good. Okay.
>> Good and I agree.
>> Yay. Okay.
>> Just two more short things.
I had a request to clarify that
the vote was unanimous.
>> Okay. And then on all of the
on both recommendations, right.
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
>> And then. Zoning board
members who are also County
Council members get $100 for
each meeting. Yes. We hadn't
specifically talked about this
when we voted on the
recommendations. I just wanted
to make sure the commission
didn't have any changes to that
amount.
>> Is that within our scope?
>> It was four years ago.
>> Yeah. I mean, I think it is
one of the one of the extra
pieces and it was listed on the
schedule. But I think we sort
of, as I recall it, at the
beginning, we asked, were there
any questions about those? And
I don't think we delineated
them, but I think we said those,
those particular awards, the
technology, the, you know, the
and asked if anybody had any
questions because we had heard
nothing about those in
particular. There was no
testimony about raising those
or removing those or adjusting,
you know, adjusting those in
any way. So I think we did that
at the beginning in order to
take care of something that was
pretty fit within a box that
everybody felt comfortable
about. So I think we did. I
don't just don't think we
listed each one of them. Okay.
So I'm fine is everybody else.
Is that the intent that we had
that those stay the same?
That's how I remember it.
>> Yeah okay okay. And then the
last thing is for the first
year of the county executive
salary based on previous years
legislation, it looks like they
usually set an initial floor.
>> And then use.
>> And then use that.
>> We'd have to vote on that
because that would be different
than what we discussed.
>> You can yeah. If you want to
vote on that. The cpi for this
period would have been 3%
anyway. So it would be 2.5%.
But yeah, if you want to okay.
>> The cpi from 26 right to
drive $27.
>> Because did we put in there
about the. Okay. This was one
of the things I wanted to make
sure that we were using the cpi
based on the Washington
Baltimore.
>> Yeah I think that's in there.
You know.
>> Baltimore Towson.
>> Yeah. And so when I think
that's issued SEPTEMBER 3rd, I
think it runs SEPTEMBER. They
they calculate SEPTEMBER
through SEPTEMBER. So I think
that that is issued in
SEPTEMBER.
>> Yeah, I think for budgeting
reasons, they usually use the
report that covers.
>> The prior year.
>> Calendar year prior. So okay,
if you look at the legislation
that was drafted, it states
that it uses the cpi from the
year that ends DECEMBER 31st.
>> Okay, okay. I'm fine given
the raise or just letting cpi
ride and then they get the 3%
or whatever. I don't I don't
particularly I mean you're
talking not a big difference.
>> I mean if that if that's
what how it needs to be written.
And we wrote it to be whatever
we said then I think that's. I
don't think I don't think we
specified they were going to do
it based on 26, because we're
in fiscal year 26 right now. So
it's again, are we talking
about a count.
>> Well they have they got to
count for the budget. Right. So
yeah I think what he's saying
is they have to use it. They
have to use what. They already
have budget in time.
>> Right. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So
if, if you want to I don't
think you have to vote on this.
But if you, if you want a
motion, you can just motion
that for the first year 2026
they have a 2.5% increase.
>> I think we do have to vote
on that.
>> Well, no.
>> We voted on.
>> The 26 is what the 26, the
JANUARY 26th increase which
would be voted is already in
place. Right. So we're talking
about what would take place in
JANUARY of 27.
>> That's correct.
>> Yeah. Okay.
>> Yeah.
>> The way he has worded is
correct okay. So does anybody
have any opinion on whether we
change the language to 2.5% or.
>> Is everybody comfortable
with the language that's there
or do they want.
>> I'm comfortable. This is
Rashida I'm comfortable with it.
>> So we just need a motion.
>> This is key I'm fine okay.
>> I'm good okay.
>> So we need a motion to
accept the the language as.
>> So I'll make a motion to
change the language for 2027,
for the county executive to
include a 2.5% increase over
the 26 2026. Yeah.
>> And I'll second. And then I
think we can just do an
affirmation here. All in favor.
>> I.
>> I any opposed any
abstentions, any questions okay.
I think we're I think we're
good.
>> That's all for me then.
>> Okay. Does anybody else have
anything they want to bring
forward before we talk about
what comes next?
>> It's just presenting it.
Right okay. That's all we have
left is presented in JANUARY
after you finalize it.
>> Yep. Once the commission
approves the report today, I'll
get Ellen's signature on it.
And then I will transmit it to
the council, probably tomorrow
morning.
>> Okay, okay.
>> And then the legislation
will be introduced for
consideration in JANUARY.
>> And the our responsibility
is to provide testimony is it's
essentially sort of deliver our
recommendation at the hearing.
>> Yeah. Okay. If at least one
of you can be here okay. Yeah.
Amanda, do you have your hand
up?
>> Yeah. I'm. I'm sorry. Maybe
I'm just not catching it. And
you kind of scrolled fast, and
I know I saw an early version,
but is the. So the compensation
is for four years, right.
Starting in 26, 27, 2020.
>> Starting in JANUARY 27th.
>> 26 is a new new county
executive, right.
>> The 26 will take office in
27. Well, they'll take election
DECEMBER 6th. Yeah, but they
don't.
>> So so the first and I, I was
trying to look at the report.
So the first raise will be in
DECEMBER of 26. Right. And then.
I just wanted to make sure it
was covering four years not
five years.
>> Yes.
>> Yes. Yeah. It's DECEMBER
2026 through DECEMBER 2030.
>> Monday the whatever the
first Monday in DECEMBER. But
then they don't.
>> We've just been talking it
talking about it more like 2027.
>> But the way it was worded on
the charts, we looked at it,
spoke to it as if it was a
JANUARY 20th.
>> Yeah.
>> The next year. So as long as
it mirrors what what we've done
in the past.
>> Yeah, but it's just for when
they take off as to when they
leave office. Yes. Yep.
>> Okay. Thank you Amanda. Okay.
So now we actually have to we
approved the amendment to the
language, but we didn't approve
the whole agreement okay. So
now yeah. Now I'll move that.
We accept the report of the
compensation review commission.
And do we do we actually have
to approve the legislation to
or. No.
>> Just the report.
>> Just the report. So we're
approved. I move that we
approve the Compensation Review
Commission report, as amended
this evening.
>> I'll second that motion.
>> And in this case, I think I
will call out the role. I just
think that's that's a good idea.
So Ellen Flynn Gile I Scott
Houghton.
>> I.
>> Rashida George. Rashida.
>> Sorry guys. Yes I.
>> It's okay. Ginnie Gick.
Ginnie.
>> She's good. I can't see
sorry. That's okay I.
>> And keeping.
>> I awesome awesome.
>> So again we can report that
this was unanimous.
>> Is there.
>> That's it.
>> Is there anything else for
us to do.
>> That is it. You are done. I
will just go through the next
few months just so you're aware.
Okay. The legislation is going
to be introduced for
consideration in JANUARY. There
will be a public hearing on the
legislation on Tuesday, JANUARY
20th. Be great if at least
Chair Gile could be there. Okay.
And everybody else is welcome
to come if you want.
>> Sure.
>> The council MAY consider
amendments. They might adopt it
as is. It's hard to know for
sure, but at some point in the
early part of the year, they'll
adopt legislation. This
commission is technically
convened until APRIL, but I
don't think we'll have another
meeting. We're just here if
they have questions.
>> Right.
>> Okay. We're technically
still a body, but this is your
last meeting.
>> Okay? Okay.
>> Thank you. Owen.
>> Okay. And I just want to
thank everybody who's been here
through the duration. Everyone
who came tonight, everyone who
wasn't able to come tonight.
And thank you for participating
in what I think is an important
citizen, oversight of the kinds
of things that happen in county
government.
>> It's good work. This is what
it's all about. I value my time
with with everybody every
couple of weeks, and I
appreciate everybody's
contribution, and I'm sure
we'll see more of each other
down the road on some more of
these.
>> Thank you.
>> Now same here.
>> You're now on the list.
>> And thanks for your
leadership, Ellen.
>> Thank you for putting up
with us.
>> And Amanda, thank you so
much. Yeah.
>> You're a saint. Yes,
absolutely. Always a pleasure.
>> Give him a raise.
>> Oh.
>> I think we might. I think we
might have to recuse ourselves
from that.
>> Yeah, for sure.
>> But thank you, everybody.
>> Thank you everybody.
>> Thank you all. Thank you
everyone.
>> Thank you. We have.
>> Formally adjourned. Do we
have to formally adjourn?
>> Sure.
>> Okay. I'm going to move that
we adjourn with thanks to all
the participants.
>> Oh, second that motion.
>> All in favor?
>> I, I I I.
>> Thank you. Have a wonderful
holiday everybody.
>> Happy holidays everyone.
>> Happy holidays everybody.