After 15 Years Without a Change, Winter Haven Considers Raising Commissioner Pay
by James Coulter
Prompted in part by other cities exploring similar adjustments, Winter Haven city commissioners are considering their first pay increase in 15 years.
At one of their meetings last month, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted 3-2 to consider a future ordinance modifying commissioner compensation rates.
Commissioner Chad Davis requested the discussion, noting that the commission’s $12,000 annual salary had been set 15 years ago and had not been significantly updated save for yearly cost‑of‑living adjustments. He also pointed out that other Polk County cities are now considering substantial increases.
“I had heard, while running for office, that we were underpaid for a city our size,” he said. “I was concerned that we were undervaluing the work that we do.”
Currently, their annual salary is $17,525 for commissioners and $20,917 for the mayor. Based on the county’s per‑capita rate, those rates could rise by roughly $27,500, though Davis acknowledged that such a jump would be “a little too much” and unlikely to be “accepted” or “appreciated” by the public.
Instead, Davis proposed raising commissioner pay to about $24,000 and the mayor’s to $32,000 — a level he described as “more manageable” and still supported by the data.
Davis argued that the commission’s workload often demands more time than members can reasonably spare, especially since most already hold full‑time jobs. He said he has exhausted all of his paid time off and has even taken unpaid leave to meet his responsibilities as a commissioner.
After reviewing other municipalities, he noted that even smaller cities with lower annual salaries (some around $6,000) still outpaced Winter Haven on a per‑capita basis because their smaller populations made the compensation proportionally higher.
“I see the population drives the amount of work that we have to do,” he said. “We have more decisions to make because we have more people coming into the city.”
Commissioner Nathaniel J. Birdsong Jr. agreed with Davis’ assessment. Having served on the commission for nearly two decades, Birdsong noted that while the city’s population and the commission’s responsibilities have grown, commissioner pay has not.
“When I got on the commission, the city was under 30,000 people; and so now we are over somewhere close to 60,000 people,” he said. “Certainly this [pay increase] would not be able to compensate or help you make a living, but I think it is worth the time and effort to take a look at it with consideration and make some kind of decision about it.”
Commissioner Clifton E. Dollison disagreed, saying he does not support a pay increase because he views the role less as a job and more as an act of public service.
“I would sit up here and do this job for nothing,” he said. “I knew what I was getting into when I ran…And I could not see myself supporting an increase in salary. This is a public service I am offering and giving to my community, and I am proud to do it.”
Commissioner Terri Miller also opposed a pay increase. With 40 years in public service, she said she did not take the position for the money and argued that raising compensation would not be “responsible” at this time.
“I know we are headed for some pretty rough times, [and] it will affect a lot of people,” she said. “We have to be the one that leads the way and sets the example for others to follow.”
