Big question for new Apopka mayor: What will he be paid?

April 12--One of the trickiest questions facing Apopka Mayor-elect Joe Kilsheimer is his pay.

Mayor John Land, who led Orange County's second-largest city for more than 60 years, was at one time among the state's highest-paid elected officials, collecting more than $150,000 in 2005 -- a heftier salary than the elected bosses of Miami, Orlando and Tampa and $25,000 more than former Gov. Jeb Bush.

But since December 2007, Land has refused a paycheck.

Kilsheimer won't.

"I can't afford to work for free," said Kilsheimer, who has served as a media consultant for Niagara Bottling in Florida, check-cashing lender Amscot, and Covanta, a waste incinerator in Lake County. He said he will not be spokesman for those businesses while Apopka's mayor.

But how much should he be paid to guide a city of 44,000?

"It's to be determined," said Kilsheimer, who will not be sworn into office until April 22. "I think it should be fair, reasonable and appropriate for the city of Apopka. City staff is going to do some research on what is fair, reasonable and appropriate."

Apopka is considered a "strong mayor" form of government, in which the elected executive is responsible for the city's day-to-day operations. The mayor guides its legislative board and possesses power to hire and fire staff. About 30 cities in the state, including Orlando, have a strong mayor, according to the Florida League of Cities.

For years, Land, without specific authority from its charter, employed a chief administrative officer to carry out some executive functions. Appointed by Land, Richard Anderson tended to the city business. In December, voters changed the charter and formally gave the mayor power to hire a city administrator.

It's unclear if Kilsheimer will keep Anderson in that role, diminish the position or carry out those duties himself as Land once did.

The Orlando Sentinel asked some Florida cities of similar size for the salary parameters of their mayors, but those that responded were all cities with a "council-manager" form of government. In many of those cities, the mayor's post is largely ceremonial and a city manager performs the executive functions.

Altamonte Springs, population 42,500, pays its mayor $7,200 a year, but its city manager earns $175,000. Bonita Springs, population 46,000, pays the mayor $21,938, but the city manager makes $152,500. Pinellas Park, population 49,000, pays its part-time mayor $19,950 a year and its city manager $144,000.

In Apopka's current budget, Anderson's pay was slotted at $111,550, according to figures provided by the city clerk.

As a member of the Apopka City Council in September, Kilsheimer, who had to resign to challenge Land for mayor, cast one of the five votes for the city's fiscal 2014 budget, which set the mayor's pay at $13,500, a figure that covered the cost of the 93-year-old Land's health insurance.

Apopka Commissioner Bill Arrowsmith said Kilsheimer should accept the budgeted mayor's salary for this year.

"He knew that when he ran for the position," said Arrowsmith, who backed Land's bid for a 20th term.

If a simple majority of the council decides to bump up the mayor's pay, Kilsheimer shouldn't get a salary at the top of the pay scale -- as Land did -- because he lacks the experience that justified the outgoing mayor's paycheck, Arrowsmith said.

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