DES MOINES, Iowa — Whoever is elected to Des Moines City Council in November will now have to sign on to some new terms that enforce pay deductions for being chronically absent.
The policy change comes in light of former council member Indira Sheumaker receiving a paycheck every other week, even though she missed over 20 meetings before resigning.
Under the proposal passed by the council Monday, pay consequences for elected officials would be enforced if more than 10% of regular meetings are missed.
Local 5 spoke to Josh Mandelbaum, who currently represents Ward 3 on the council, about the importance of the proposal ahead of Monday's city council meeting,
"When you're talking about pay and aligning public expectation, the public pays our salaries, and the public has expectations that we show up and do your job," Mandelbaum said. "This is taking a step to align public expectation and public accountability with the way things actually work.”
Mandelbaum adds while attending work events out of town or sickness would be considered excused absences, unexcused absences would be any time that a council member does not show and gives no notice as to where they are.
As it currently stands, Des Moines city council members don't face any consequences for missing meetings. The change will take effect only for those elected in the next cycle.