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Record of Proceedings

Council Salary Commission Meeting Summary – August 7, 2025

City Council & Commissions — Thursday, August 7, 2025
BodyPuyallup, Washington
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateThursday, August 7, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 16:01

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:03

Recording.

0:14

Okay, Miss Madam Chair, Madam Chair Stephanie Holmes, whenever you are ready, I did start the recording.

0:21

Perfect.

0:22

Thank you.

0:24

All right.

0:24

Good evening.

0:25

The PLUP City Council meeting for August 6th is called the order.

0:30

Will you please call the roll?

0:33

Yes, Senia.

0:34

Yes.

0:35

Commissioners, please state here when I do call your name.

0:39

Commissioner Andrea Thompson.

0:42

Here.

0:44

Commissioner AJ Garr.

0:46

Here.

0:47

Commissioner Jeffrey Veal.

0:50

Here.

0:51

Vice Chair Aaron Ruff.

0:55

Aaron Ruff is excused for the record.

0:58

Thank you.

1:00

And Chair Stephanie Holmes.

1:02

Here.

1:03

Thank you.

1:04

You have a quorum four out of five.

1:07

Perfect.

1:09

The next item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda.

1:13

If the commissioners have no corrections or adjustments that need to be made for the agenda, do I have a motion from the commission to approve the agenda?

1:25

I'll put a motion to approve the agenda.

1:29

Thank you.

1:29

Do I have a second?

1:31

I will second.

1:33

Perfect.

1:34

So all in favor, signify by saying aye.

1:38

Aye.

1:40

I will just agree with everybody else because this is my first one.

1:43

So I'm just like, sure.

1:46

Perfect.

1:47

All opposed say nay.

1:51

All right.

1:51

The motion has been approved.

1:55

Next on the agenda is the approval of minutes.

1:58

If the commissioners have no corrections that need to be made to the minutes, do I have a motion to approve the minutes?

2:09

I make the motion to approve.

2:13

Perfect.

2:13

Do I have a second?

2:15

I will second.

2:17

Perfect.

2:18

All in favor say aye.

2:22

All right.

2:23

And all opposed say nay.

2:26

All right.

2:27

The motion is approved.

2:31

All right.

2:31

So new business.

2:32

The next item on the agenda is the compensation comparables for 2025.

2:38

And Yesenia is going to take over and welcome our new commissioners and go over those comparables.

2:45

Yes.

2:46

Hello.

2:46

Thank you so much, Madam Chair.

2:48

Again, for the record.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters█████████████████████████████████████████████59%
Procedural███████████████████████30%
Fiscal Sustainability████████11%
Summary of Proceedings

Council Salary Commission Meeting – August 7, 2025

The Puyallup Council Salary Commission met on August 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM virtually via Zoom. The meeting was called to order by Chair Stephanie Holmes at 5:32 PM and adjourned at 5:47 PM. Commissioners present: Chair Stephanie Holmes, Commissioner Ajay Garg, Commissioner Andrea Thomson, Commissioner Jeffrey Veal. Vice Chair Erin Ruff was excused. Staff present: Administrative Clerk Yessenia Abarca. The commission reviewed compensation comparables for 2025, discussed benefits, and voted to request information on the funding source for a potential council salary increase.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Agenda: Motion by Commissioner Garg, seconded by Commissioner Thomson, passed 4-0.
  • Approval of Minutes: Motion by Commissioner Thomson, seconded by Commissioner Garg, to approve the July 9, 2025 minutes. Passed 4-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were received.

Discussion Items

  • Welcome New Commissioners: Yessenia Abarca welcomed the two new commissioners and reviewed Puyallup Municipal Code 2.05 outlining the commission's powers and duties.
  • 2025 Compensation Comparables: Abarca presented a chart with salary data from comparable cities (Burien, Des Moines, Lakewood, etc.) within a set radius, updated with population data from the Washington State Office of Financial Management. Changes from the previous year were marked in red. The commission discussed non-salary benefits (medical, pension) but was informed that benefits are not included in salary comparables and are outside the commission's scope.
  • Funding Source for Salary Increase: Commissioner Veal raised concerns about the impact of a salary increase on residents and asked where the funds would come from. Abarca explained that a motion would be required to request detailed financial information from the City Manager.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to Request Funding Information: A motion was made by Commissioner Veal and seconded by Commissioner Thomson to request information from the City Manager on the funding source if council salaries were increased, including potential effects on the city budget and residents. The motion passed 4-0.
  • Next Meeting: The commission's next meeting is scheduled for October 28, 2025, at 5:30 PM in person, which will include a public hearing on salary adjustments.

Meeting Transcript

Recording. Okay, Miss Madam Chair, Madam Chair Stephanie Holmes, whenever you are ready, I did start the recording. Perfect. Thank you. All right. Good evening. The PLUP City Council meeting for August 6th is called the order. Will you please call the roll? Yes, Senia. Yes. Commissioners, please state here when I do call your name. Commissioner Andrea Thompson. Here. Commissioner AJ Garr. Here. Commissioner Jeffrey Veal. Here. Vice Chair Aaron Ruff. Aaron Ruff is excused for the record. Thank you. And Chair Stephanie Holmes. Here. Thank you. You have a quorum four out of five. Perfect. The next item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda. If the commissioners have no corrections or adjustments that need to be made for the agenda, do I have a motion from the commission to approve the agenda? I'll put a motion to approve the agenda. Thank you. Do I have a second? I will second. Perfect. So all in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. I will just agree with everybody else because this is my first one. So I'm just like, sure. Perfect. All opposed say nay. All right. The motion has been approved. Next on the agenda is the approval of minutes. If the commissioners have no corrections that need to be made to the minutes, do I have a motion to approve the minutes? I make the motion to approve. Perfect. Do I have a second? I will second. Perfect. All in favor say aye. All right. And all opposed say nay.

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