Foley City Council voted Jan. 19 to increase the next term mayor’s pay from the current $30,000 a year to $35,000 a year for the first two years of the new term and then to $40,000 for the remaining years of the term. The raise will take place Nov. 1.

The council looked at five other cities within Baldwin County with which to compare the city council and mayor salaries:

Gulf Shores mayor: $42,000; council: $12,000

Orange Beach mayor: $42,000; council: $13,401

Spanish Fort mayor: $38,400; council: $12,000

Daphne mayor: $75,000; council: $12,000

Fairhope mayor: $90,000; council: $7,200 ($60,000 as public utilities director)

With a population of 16,243 people, the current Foley mayor’s salary is $1.85 per constituent.

Council President J. Wayne Trawick suggested the increase.

“We’re substantially lower than everyone else,” Trawick said. “In Orange Beach, the population is less, but they have to deal with a lot more people during tourism season; but the same thing applies to us.”

With the next mayor’s salary raised to $40,000, the price per constituent is $2.46, still significantly lower than other cities such as Gulf Shores with a population of 9,741 ($4.31); Orange Beach with a population of 5,441 ($7.72); Daphne with a population of 21,570 ($3.48); Fairhope with a population of 17,386 ($5.17); and Spanish Fort with a population of 6,798 ($5.65).

According to Alabama law, before an election, the city council must pass the salaries of the next mayor and council members.

“I think the council and council president salaries are all in line,” Trawick said. “If you look at the council all the way across, we’re pretty much ‘middle of the road.’ I suggest we leave those in place.”

The current salary for Foley city council members is $12,000 per year, and the current salary for the mayor pro-tem is $18,000 per year.