Easthampton Finance Committee Backs Incremental Mayor Pay Raises Through 2029

EASTHAMPTON — October 30, 2024 — Easthampton's City Council Finance Committee recommended incremental mayoral pay raises and approved a plow truck purchase at its October 30 meeting. The committee voted 2-0 with one abstention to advance a proposal to the full City Council setting the mayor's salary at $93,000 on January 1, 2026, rising by $3,000 annually to reach $102,000 by January 1, 2029 — a $12,000 total increase over the next mayoral term. The plan, proposed by City Clerk Barb, drew the chair's abstention over concern that Easthampton, which holds the lowest mayoral salary among Massachusetts strong-mayor cities, was not doing enough to close the gap. "We are even an outlier in that respect," the chair said. The committee unanimously declined to raise stipends for city councilors or appointed board members, with Councilor Denham arguing the council's recent 50 percent stipend increase was sufficient and that the $6,000 annual amount "is incredibly generous." A separate unanimous vote recommended a $346,583 draw from the capital stabilization fund — balance $3,320,441.95 — to replace a 2000 International plow truck whose rotted frame had rendered it unsafe, restoring the Highway Department's eight-vehicle front-line snow fleet.