MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Brooklyn Park Council Delays Vote on Proposed Mayor Salary Increase

BROOKLYN PARK, MN. (April 29) The Brooklyn Park City Council voted 6–0 Monday to table a proposal that would more than double the annual salary of the city’s mayor, citing the need for further consultation with the city’s charter commission.

The proposal would increase the mayor’s salary from $21,995 to $50,000 annually. Under the measure, the increase would not take effect until the next mayoral term begins following the November election.

Mayor Hollies Winston abstained from the vote and said he did not bring the proposal forward.

“I didn’t bring this forward,” Winston said during the meeting. “It was not necessarily a priority for myself. If it takes further consideration, that makes sense.”

Charter Commission Role and Council Concerns

The proposed increase exceeds a prior recommendation from the Brooklyn Park Charter Commission, which advised a roughly five percent adjustment to the mayor’s salary.

Council members said moving forward with a significantly larger increase without additional consultation raised concerns.

“To do it the way that we are considering this evening shows disrespect to the charter commission,” said Council Member Tony McGarvey. “They’re there to advise us.”

Council Member Amanda Cheng Xiong said she supports reviewing compensation levels but agreed the council should first meet with the commission before determining any changes.

Compensation Structure

The proposal also includes a three percent increase for city council members, whose current annual salary is $12,578.

Winston has previously stated that the mayor’s role carries additional time demands and responsibilities compared to council members, including scheduling obligations and broader public expectations.

Public Input

Residents offered mixed reactions during public comment.

P.J. Hubbard said the role warrants consideration for increased compensation but emphasized the need to balance pay with broader community priorities, including youth services, economic development, and property taxes.

Other residents opposed the scale of the increase. Steve Marsolek described the proposal as excessive, while Bill Schweikert said he supports a raise in principle but not at the proposed level, citing the charter commission’s recommendation.

Next Steps

The council will meet with the charter commission to review the proposal before taking further action. No timeline has been announced for when the measure will return for consideration.

Any approved increase would apply only to the next mayoral term and would not affect the current officeholder.

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