The mayor for the city of Poulsbo will become a part-time position starting Jan. 1, 2026, the city council approved at its Oct. 16 meeting.

The vote passed 4-1 with Councilmember Rick Eckert voting against. The salary for the position will be $50,000 with about $11,000 in part-time health benefits. The council can decide to increase the salary in the future but cannot decrease it.

The move coincides with the city looking to hire a full-time city administrator. The position is budgeted for 2025 and the city is hoping to fill that position while Mayor Becky Erickson is still in office to allow for some “crossover time” before a new mayoral term begins Jan. 1, 2026, city clerk Rhiannon Fernandez said. Erickson previously announced she will not be seeking a new term, meaning 2025 will be her last year in office. Erickson has been mayor since 2010, and started as a councilmember for the city in 2008.

The city administrator would be appointed by the council, rather than an election, and would work alongside the mayor conducting day-to-day operations and make recommendations to the mayor and council for policy, documents read. The position is being funded by the Business & Occupation tax the council approved in December of 2023, which took effect July 1.

“As our city’s grown and the complexity’s grown…we need to evolve our leadership team,” Councilmember Doug Newell said. “We need a full-time trained professional and someone to represent the people as the mayor of our city. I think this is the right approach. I do believe that if somebody is going to run for mayor or political office it’s out of love and community service as much as it is about…salary,” he concluded, noting that many mayors make less than $50,000 in cities of similar size.

Councilmember Gary McVey added: “I think it’s important we don’t have two full-time people trying to run the city.”

While voting in favor of the part-time position, Councilmember Britt Livdahl said the city is limiting itself to mayoral candidates since a full package of benefits is not offered. Eckert echoed that same sentiment.