Virginia Law

Article 1.1. Salaries.

Each member of the board of supervisors of each county shall be allowed and paid out of the county levy an annual salary, to be fixed as herein provided, for his services in attending the meetings of the board and in discharging the duties imposed by law upon him.

Code 1950, § 14-55; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-45; 1998, c. 872.

The annual compensation to be allowed each member of the board of supervisors of a county shall be determined by the board of supervisors of such county but such compensation shall not be more than a maximum determined in the following manner. Prior to July 1 of each year, the current board, by a recorded vote of a majority present, shall set a maximum annual compensation, which will become effective as of January 1 of the year following the next regularly scheduled elections.

Until the board is able to set a maximum compensation as provided above, the maximum compensations for the several counties shall be as authorized on July 1, 1981.

Any board of supervisors may fix a higher salary for the chairman, or the vice-chairman, or both, than for the other members of the board without respect to the limits herein set forth.

A member of the board of supervisors of any county may accept in lieu of salary, reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in maintaining an office and secretarial assistance necessary for the proper performance of his duties. Such reimbursement shall be subtracted from the amount of the salary due such official and the remaining sum shall be paid to him at his option; however, such expense shall not exceed the salary. In addition to the salary, members of each governing body may receive the same fringe benefits which are given to county employees generally, and all prior grants of such benefits are validated.

A county may provide a member of its board of supervisors in addition to salary, reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in purchasing, operating, maintaining and using a telephone, including a car telephone or other portable telephone, provided the expenses are attributable directly to the proper performance of the member's official duties.

No increase in the salary of a member of the board of supervisors shall take effect during the incumbent supervisor's term in office; however, this restriction shall not apply to boards of supervisors when the supervisors are elected for staggered terms nor to corrections to the above listed compensation.

1976, c. 590, § 14.1-46.01; 1977, cc. 391, 416; 1978, cc. 319, 435, 572; 1979, c. 256; 1980, cc. 3, 450; 1981, cc. 13, 623; 1982, c. 376; 1990, c. 518; 1996, c. 371; 1998, c. 872; 2000, c. 299; 2022, c. 616.

In lieu of other provisions of law, the boards of supervisors of the several counties may establish annually, by ordinance, and pay in monthly installments each of their members an annual salary pursuant to the following procedure and schedule:

1. On a date determined by the board of supervisors, not earlier than May 1 nor later than June 30 each year, the board, after public hearing pursuant to notice in the manner and form provided in §§ 15.2-1426 and 15.2-1427, shall establish by ordinance the salary of its members for the ensuing fiscal year not to exceed the maximums herein set out.

2. Counties within the following population brackets shall be allowed to set salaries for board members not to exceed the following amounts:

The maximum annual salaries herein provided may be adjusted in any year or years, by ordinance as above provided, by an inflation factor not to exceed five percent.

3. Any board of supervisors may fix, by ordinance as above provided, annually an additional sum to be paid as hereinabove provided to the chairman and vice-chairman of the board not to exceed $1,800 and $1,200, respectively, without regard to the maximum salary limits.

4. In addition to and without regard for the salary limits herein set out, any board of supervisors by resolution may grant to its members any or all of the fringe benefits in the manner and form as such benefits are provided for county employees or any of them.

1984, c. 221, § 14.1-46.01:1; 1990, cc. 63, 854; 1998, c. 872.

Repealed by Acts 2006, c. 126, cl. 2.

Each member of the council of each city shall be allowed and paid out of the city levy an annual salary in equal monthly installments, or in accordance with the payroll cycle of city employees, to be fixed as herein provided, for his services in attending the meetings of the council and in discharging the duties imposed by law upon him. Any city, however, whose charter imposes no limitation on salaries, may continue to pay its councilmen and mayor pursuant to such charter.

1981, c. 358, § 14.1-47.1; 1998, c. 872; 2004, c. 570.

A. Subject to the exception provided for in § 15.2-1414.5, the annual salary of each member of the council of any city shall be set by its members by ordinance after a public hearing pursuant to notice in the manner and form provided in §§ 15.2-1426 and 15.2-1427, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special. The setting of such salaries by members of a council shall include the salary of the mayor or president of the council whether such official is a member of the council or not.

B. Cities within the following population brackets shall be allowed to set salaries for mayors, which include presidents of council, and council members not to exceed the following:

C. The maximum annual salaries provided in subsection B may be adjusted in any year or years, by ordinance as provided in subsection A, by an inflation factor not to exceed five percent.

D. No increase in the salary of a member of a council shall take effect until July 1 after the next regularly scheduled general election of council members.

E. Every proposed increase in the salary of a member of a council shall be adopted at least four months prior to the date of the next municipal election except in the case of a newly created consolidated city when the proposed increase shall be adopted at least two months prior to the date of its first municipal election.

F. Any member of a council shall be eligible to be reimbursed for any personal expenses incurred by him for official business. However, all claims for reimbursement shall be for reasonable expenses to the extent permitted by law incurred in the conduct of official city business and shall be itemized and documented by stamped paid receipts to the extent feasible.

G. In addition to a salary, each member of the council of any city may be compensated with such benefits as are provided city employees by the city.

1981, c. 358, § 14.1-47.2; 1982, c. 125; 1985, c. 111; 1986, cc. 111, 312; 1988, c. 213; 1996, c. 263; 1997, c. 592; 1998, c. 872; 2024, c. 608.

Notwithstanding any provision of a charter of a town or any other law, a town council may establish the compensation to be paid to council members and the mayor. No increase in salary of a council member or mayor shall take effect during the incumbent council member's or mayor's term in office; however, this restriction shall not apply to councils or mayors when the council members are elected for staggered terms. In addition to salary, each member of the council and the mayor of any town may be compensated with such benefits as are provided town employees by the town.

1975, c. 253, § 15.1-827.1; 1985, c. 63; 1997, c. 587, § 14.1-47.3; 1998, c. 872; 2001, cc. 9, 254.