Fort Bragg Council Votes to Boost Pay to $950 a Month
Residents express support, appreciation for councilmembers' service
11/27/2025 9:16 a.m. — typos corrected
The Fort Bragg City Council voted Monday to raise councilmember monthly pay from $510 to $950 per month after the 2026 general election, adopting the maximum allowed under state law and drawing broad support from residents who said higher compensation would help attract working parents and other prospective candidates.
City Clerk Diana Paoli said the increase will take effect when the new term begins in December 2026. The council last reviewed its compensation structure in 2024, when a scheduled 5% cost-of-living increase was not implemented due to an administrative error.
California Government Code §36516 — updated by a 2023 Senate bill — sets the allowable salary cap for a city of Fort Bragg’s size at $950 per month or $11,400 a year. Paoli said councilmembers had the option to leave salaries unchanged, apply a smaller 5% increase, or adopt the full amount. In addition to the monthly stipend, councilmembers receive health care and retirement benefits ranging from zero to more than $38,000 depending on individual circumstances.
Public comment strongly favored the raise. Several speakers argued that the modest stipend deters younger people, caregivers, or those without financial flexibility from seeking office.
Jacob Patterson told the council that without the ability to extend dependent-care reimbursements to all city employees — which the city cannot afford — increasing council salaries was the only feasible way to offset caregiving costs for potential candidates. Other residents noted the time demands of committee work, meetings outside Fort Bragg, and long closed sessions.
Councilmember Lindy Peters, who has served more than two decades, delivered the most pointed defense of the increase, pointing to persistent misconceptions about what council service requires.
Peters said he routinely puts in at least 20 hours a week, often more, and receives “about $5.35 an hour” once his current stipend is divided across the workload. He emphasized that councilmembers receive no pay for committee meetings, including regional boards that require unpaid travel.
“People don’t realize that closed session often goes three or four hours before a public meeting that goes another four,” Peters said. And then there are uncounted hours of informal service. “If I started a timer every time someone stopped me in Safeway or at the farmers market to talk about city business, I’d be putting in a lot more than 20 hours a week.”
He added that online criticism from residents unfamiliar with the workload overlooks the challenges of balancing public service with family and employment responsibilities. Peters cited former Vice Mayor Jessica Morsell-Hay, who did not run for reelection because she could not manage council duties while raising two young children and operating a family business.
“To get some good quality candidates, this is also a little carrot on a stick,” Peters said. “Maybe younger candidates with young children, or people caring for a parent, will feel they can give it a shot.”
Other councilmembers echoed his concerns. Councilmember Albin-Smith noted she serves on about ten committees, some of which require extensive preparation or travel. Vice Mayor Marsha Rafanan said $950 a month could open the door for residents who otherwise could not afford to participate.
“Anybody that complains about this raise, which really isn’t all that much, obviously doesn’t know the work that goes into a meeting behind the scenes,” Judy Valadao said.
Gabriel Quinn Maroney urged the councilmembers “not to mess around” with smaller amounts. “Your constituents want you guys to be availabe,” he noted. “Although it’s not a lot of money, this helps you to be more available and to do your job better.”
The City of Fort Bragg Cult is operating in violation of California Government Code 1099: "Incompatible Offices."