Fishers council set to vote on first mayor’s salary

Fishers’ first mayor will be paid more than the chief executives of nearby suburban cities if the Town Council approves a 2015 salary ordinance set to be introduced Monday.

The authorizing legislation sets the mayor’s salary for next year at a maximum of $125,000 (before benefits), matching Mayor-elect Scott Fadness' current pay as town manager. But compensation for the appointed position topped out at $140,000, said town spokeswoman Autumn Gasior.

Town Council members’ salaries will remain at $12,000 per year.

As IBJ reported last month, Fishers’ upcoming transition to second-class city gives the part-time council an unusual opportunity to set the municipal CEO’s salary. Pay is reviewed every year, but significant adjustments are unusual.

Council President John Weingardt said the council wanted to “align” the mayor's salary with Fadness’ current pay.

"We just kept it the same as last year," he told IBJ by way of explanation.

Fadness has made a concerted effort to stay out of the mayoral compensation discussion.

An IBJ review of other cities’ 2015 salary ordinances shows Fadness  would out-earn his more experienced peers north of 96th Street.

Five-term Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard is the best-paid of the bunch, with an annual salary of $124,228. Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear is paid $112,448, and Westfield Mayor Andy Cook makes $108,200 a year.

In Boone County, Zionsville expects to pay a full-time mayor $120,000 if the courts allow a planned government reorganization to proceed.