Rockford’s next mayor and City Council members will earn higher pay

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The next aldermen elected to the City Council and Rockford’s next mayor will earn higher pay.

City Council members this week approved the first increase to aldermanic pay in more than 20 years. They also OK’d a higher salary for the office of mayor. Both changes go into effect in May 2025.

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Aldermen elected in April 2025 will earn $16,000 per year, up from $12,000. It’s the first time pay for City Council members has been increased since 2003, when it was raised from $10,500 to $12,000.

The next mayor elected will earn $155,000 per year for the four-year term. That represents a nearly 19% increase.

State law requires that government bodies set the salaries for elected offices at least 180 days before the start of the next term. That’s done so that elected officials cannot adjust their own salary while in office, but rather must set the compensation for whomever is elected to the position.

The city compared its pay to that of other like-sized communities before putting forward the recommendations for a vote.

Aldermen defeated a proposal to increase the pay for their job to $17,000 before approving the $16,000 annual salary in a 9-5 vote. Aldermen Tim Durkee, Jonathan Logemann, Chad Tuneberg, Kevin Frost and Mark Bonne voted against the increase.

Alderman Isidro Barrios said the increase was fair given the hours that City Council members put in and the things they need to pay for to do their job properly, such as a vehicle, gas and telephone.

“An alderman’s job could be part-time, or small-time or it could be full-time,” Barrios said. “For me it’s a full-time job.”

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Tuneberg, who represents the city’s 3rd Ward, agreed that the work is full time but voted against the pay raise.

“If there’s an individual who would like to shadow the 3rd Ward alderman some week, they’re going to realize that it’s anything but a part-time job,” Tuneberg said. “If I didn’t return constituent calls, if I didn’t put in what I feel is an earnest effort, I could make this a part-time job. … But if you don’t do those things I just mentioned, you will be voted out.”

Aldermen are also eligible for health benefits and half the council can receive a pension. Only half are eligible for a pension because of a de facto change made before the last election.

The City Council was required to pass a resolution certifying that the job takes at least 1,000 hours per year in order for aldermen to qualify for an Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pension. Aldermen instead took no action, effectively ending the pension program for future council members. But seven existing members were grandfathered in. Only four participate: Logemann, Durkee, Frank Beach and Frost.

The council had briefly considered revisiting that decision earlier this year, but they again opted not to take any action.

The mayor’s pay will increase from $129,730 to the new rate. The mayor is also eligible for health benefits, a pension and city-provided vehicle. The mayor’s compensation was unanimously approved.

How they voted

Here’s how aldermen voted on the increase in City Council pay from $12,000 to $16,000.

Yes: Gabrielle Torina, Aprel Prunty, Janessa Wilkins, Karen Hoffman, Bill Rose, Frank Beach, Isidro Barrios, Gina Meeks, Jeff Bailey

No: Tim Durkee, Jonathan Logemann, Chad Tuneberg, Kevin Frost, Mark Bonne

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas