DAPHNE, Ala. — City leaders Tuesday voted to draft ordinances that could raise the salaries of future council members, but disagreed on compensation for future mayors.

The council voted unanimously in favor of drafting an ordinance that would set a $16,000 salary for the council president, $13,200 for the council president pro tem and $12,000 for future members. Despite the proposed raises, cell phone priveleges and health benefits — the latter of which Councilman John Lake passionately supported — would be excluded.

The actions did not actually raise the salaries; city leaders just gave their approval to introduce an ordinance with those figures — one that will be voted up or down in a future session.

Lake, who has nearly served four terms, argued for the inclusion of health benefits. He recalled a former council member with a struggling business who had diabetes and eventually resigned his position. Had the city provided health benefits for council members, he speculated that the outcome may have been different.

The city pays about $600 a month per employee who receives health benefits, according to finance director Kim Briley.

Lake pointed out that such perks could open the net for a more diverse selection of city leaders.

“This is not a position where the richest people serve; this is a position where the common people serve,” he said.

Council President Greg Burnam, on the other hand, said the council deserves no benefits; “it’s still a part-time job.”

City council members currently earn $600 a month — an amount unchanged in 12 years. City leaders had tapped a citizen advisory group with more than 20 years of human resources experience to determine salaries commensurate with council members’ duties.

The group’s suggestions included $20,000 for the council president; $16,500 for the president pro tem; and $15,000 for council members.

A vote on salary increases will only affect future council members, according to City Attorney Jay Ross. Salary decisions must be made by Feb. 26, which meets a deadline that requires pay be determined six months prior to the municipal election.

During Tuesday’s meeting — which was rescheduled from Monday, in honor of the Martin Luther King holiday — Palumbo argued in favor of cell phone compensation; the council currently pays for all calls — business or private — out of pocket.

“I don’t know why the council should be made to finance the city’s business,” he said.

Also, city leaders voted in favor of drafting an ordinance that would set the mayor’s pay at $85,000 a year, and one that would set the pay at $37,500 a year — the latter of which would be compensation if a referendum results in the desire for a part-time mayor. The actions didn’t set the compensation, or create a part-time position; they just allowed for the ordinances to be drafted.

A municipal law reads that city leaders can’t determine the working hours of a mayor, though they can determine the position’s compensation. City leaders said residents could vote on whether they want a part-time or full-time mayor. However, the referendum wouldn’t be binding; it’s just advisory to the council, Ross said.

The council passed a motion to seek an attorney general’s opinion on how the city can move forward with a referendum on the matter. Ross said he would prepare the letter Wednesday.

Council members disagreed on what constitutes fair compensation for the most powerful position in the city.

“Eighty-five thousand dollars is the recommendation (of the advisory group) and I’m comfortable with that,” Councilwoman Cathy Barnette said. “We’re a growing city, we have a large boundary and a large area.”

Palumbo disagreed, and said an $85,000 salary, along with the mayor’s $6,000 vehicle compensation, plus medical benefits the position includes, would put total compensation at about $100,000 — “and that’s too much,” he said.

Salary increases for the city judge and prosecutor, which the advisory group also looked at, do not have deadlines similar to the council and mayor positions, and can be changed at any time, according to Councilman Eric Nager.