ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, June 4, 1996                  TAG: 9606040075
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER 

ROANOKE COUNCIL RAISES ITS PAY SECOND VOTE ON ISSUE IS PUBLIC AFTER FUROR OVER CLOSED SESSION

For the second time in three weeks, Roanoke City Council has granted itself a pay increase, after undoing its original raise because it was the product of an unlawful closed meeting.

The 5-1 vote came after council members defended raising their own pay, but admitted they made a mistake by deciding on it in a closed meeting that was called for another purpose.

"It was purely a mistake, and everyone here realizes it was a mistake," Vice Mayor William White said.

Monday's action means council members' pay will rise from $13,000 annually to $14,000 beginning July 1.

Mayor David Bowers' yearly salary will increase $3,000, from the current $15,000 to $18,000.

Council first approved raising its own pay May 13, after a closed meeting May 9 that was called to set salary increases for council-appointed officers. That discussion unlawfully moved into the issue of council pay, although members didn't realize it at the time.

Council on May 20 voted to reconsider the pay raise, and set a second vote on it for Monday.

Before the vote, White called the increases "reasonable," noting that council's pay for the part-time job hasn't changed since 1990. The mayor's pay has remained frozen since 1987.

The salaries for both offices were frozen at the maximum level set by the state for local elected officials. But the General Assembly raised the cap this year.

Councilman Mac McCadden, who voted against the raise in the beginning, also voted against it Monday.

Although McCadden argued during the vote that council deserves an increase, he said after the vote that council should have convened a public hearing on the issue.

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