On Tuesday, the assembly considered increasing Mayor Jan Hill’s monthly stipend for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency. Members decided to postpone the discussion until a broader conversation about paying all volunteers participating in the borough’s Emergency Operations Center is held.

Assembly member Jerry Lapp said he introduced the motion to increase the mayor’s pay because of all the extra hours she has been putting in during the crisis.

Others on the assembly questioned the decision to single out the Mayor.

Assembly member Stephanie Scott said a lot of people throughout the community have been working longer hours in volunteer positions.

How to pay the Mayor more while complying with borough law was another issue raised.

Under borough code, the Mayor cannot receive extra compensation for her role as an elected official, borough manager Debra Schnabel said. To pay the Mayor more would either require a code change or would require paying the Mayor for work outside her role as an elected official. For example, the borough could pay Hill for her work on the EOC.

Schnabel said this raised the question of whether other members of the EOC should be paid for their work.

Assembly members requested that Schnabel provide them with additional information about volunteers in the EOC and about whether or not COVID-19 relief funding from the CARES Act could be used to cover the costs of paying volunteers.

Lapp withdrew his motion after receiving confirmation that the assembly would address the issue once it has obtained more information.