HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-11-23 Public Comment - P. & J. Power - City of Bozeman Agenda Item G11 & Equal Pay for (female) Judge Colleen HerringtonFrom:Paula Power
To:Agenda
Subject:City of Bozeman Agenda Item G11 & Equal Pay for (female) Judge Colleen Herrington
Date:Tuesday, April 11, 2023 10:14:00 AM
Attachments:Resolution 5488, City of Bozeman.docx
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
ATTN: Bozeman City Commission
RE: Agenda Item G11, Resolution 5488
Dear Commissioners,
Last Tuesday evening, Bozeman City Mayor Cyndy Andrus signed the Equal Pay Proclamation for the
City of Bozeman and touted the city’s success in paying individuals equal pay for equal work.
Tonight, the Commission is set to adopt Resolution 5488, which will set a range for annual salaries
for Municipal Judges for Fiscal Year 2023.
It has come to our attention that Resolution 5488, item G11 on tonight’s agenda, calls to
retroactively increase the salary for chief judge by 5%, but allows that Judge Colleen Herrington has
and will continue to be paid less than the male chief judge who also holds this position for the
City.
Judge Herrington is Bozeman’s first female chief judge. That’s a big deal in a world where women,
unfortunately, must continue to fight for equal pay and recognition to their male colleagues. If
passed as is, this resolution will mean that Judge Herrington will continue to be paid 10% less than
her counterpart, a male judge who holds this same position. Also, each department head for the
City receives an additional 15% benefit for the increased workload of being a department head and
Judge Herrington who manages a staff should also receive this benefit.
As presented, this resolution does not ensure that women will receive equal pay for equal work
when employed by the City of Bozeman. As you can imagine, in 2023, this is not a good look.
We respectfully request that this resolution be pulled from the consent agenda in order to be
changed to reflect that women will, in fact, be paid equally for all employment by the City of
Bozeman across the board and that Judge Herrington will be paid equally to her male
counterpart.
Thank you,
Paula and John Power
519 E. Mendenhall St.
Bozeman, MT 59715
Phone: 406-224-5525
“The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened
arteries spread across a poisoned sky.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
Dear Commissioners,
Last Tuesday evening, Bozeman City Mayor Cyndy Andrus signed the Equal Pay Proclama�on for the City
of Bozeman and touted the city’s success in paying individuals equal pay for equal work. Tonight, the
Commission is set to adopt Resolu�on 5488, which will set a range for annual salaries for Municipal
Judges for Fiscal Year 2023.
It has come to our aten�on that Resolu�on 5488, item G11 on tonight’s agenda, calls to retroac�vely
increase the salary for chief judge by 5%, but allows that Judge Colleen Herrington has and will
con�nue to be paid less than the male chief judge who also holds this posi�on for the City.
Judge Herrington is Bozeman’s first female chief judge. That’s a big deal in a world where women,
unfortunately, must con�nue to fight for equal pay and recogni�on to their male colleagues. If passed as
is, this resolu�on will mean that Judge Herrington will con�nue to be paid 10% less than her
counterpart, a male judge who holds this same posi�on. Also, each department head for the City
receives an addi�onal 15% benefit for the increased workload of being a department head and Judge
Herrington who manages a staff should also receive this benefit.
As presented, this resolu�on does not ensure that women will receive equal pay for equal work when
employed by the City of Bozeman. As you can imagine, in 2023, this is not a good look.
We respec�ully request that this resolu�on be pulled from the consent agenda in order to be changed
to reflect that women will, in fact, be paid equally for all employment by the City of Bozeman across
the board and that Judge Herrington will be paid equally to her male counterpart.
Thank you,
Paula and John Power
519 E. Mendenhall St.
Bozeman, MT 59715
Phone: 406-224-5525