Shane W Potter

SLIPPERY ROCK — Discussion about eliminating Slippery Rock’s mayoral stipend continued at a council meeting Tuesday, Dec. 19.

The most vocal advocate on borough council for slashing the stipend — which stands at $1,200 a year — is Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid Longo, who said the reduction in salary to zero would set a civic precedent.

Some residents, however, worried eliminating the stipend altogether could deter potential lower-income candidates from running for office.

Longo has donated his salary each year since taking office, allowing for more wiggle room in the budget to pay for road expenses and overtime hours for police officers and road crews, he said in a previous interview.

At a previous meeting, solicitor Rebecca Black said instead of amending the existing ordinance and eliminating the mayoral stipend, it may be easier for the mayor to “donate back what you feel comfortable donating back.”

“I think we have to consider that other people, once they’re coming through this position over the next few years, may or may not find that money to be of help to them or of interest,” said Slippery Rock resident Regina Greenwald. “I would not lean on people to not take a salary. For personal reasons, they may need that and it may reflect on who would be willing to even run for office.”

“Mayor Longo, I commend you for donating your stipend — I think that’s very commendable, but you have the means and the choice to do that,” said resident Mike Pavlick. “If you have young students or young adults in the community that want to serve, the cost and the burden of time is a detriment to them and may even discourage them from running (for office).”

“It should not be a penalty for people that are willing to serve, that don’t have the means to make a choice to donate that money,” Pavlick said. “I think the people in the future that may run for the position should have the same choice.”

If put into effect, the amendment to the mayoral stipend would go into effect only after Longo’s term as mayor ends, meaning the reduction in salary could impact a candidate other than Longo.

At the meeting, Longo said the amendment could still affect him if he decides to run again for office.

“I didn’t realize that this would be in effect only after the next term,” Longo said.

Longo said he advocated for eliminating his own salary as soon as he took office, but was then told it could not be done.

“Public service should not be contingent upon compensation in any way,” he said.

On Tuesday, council voted 4-2 to advertise the amendment to the mayoral stipend, with Lauren Christmann and Ron Steele voting against bringing the matter forward.

Council will vote on eliminating the mayoral stipend in 2024.