Eight of 11 Cabinet members in Mayor John Hickenlooper's administration would get raises under a proposal endorsed Tuesday by a City Council committee.

But at least one council member said she's unlikely to vote in favor of the salary increases when they go before the full council.

Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said she has to look at what an employee has accomplished in the past year to determine whether or not they deserve a raise.

Under the leadership of Parks and Recreation Manager Kim Bailey, projects have been delayed and there's been high turnover among planners, Faatz said.

"I want to see results," she said. "If I see results, that's one of the criteria I will use in deciding what the raise should be."

But Faatz, a fiscal conservative and the only Republican on the council, may not have any allies.

Other council members, including Carol Boigon, Doug Linkhart and Chris Nevitt, members of the general government committee, said they support the proposal.

"I didn't see anything I felt was out of line," Boigon said.

Parks and Recreation has been a frequent target of criticism.

A few weeks ago, "council sat around and talked about all the problems they were having with parks, and I certainly have problems with parks," Faatz said.

Council members said residents were complaining about weedy medians and parkways and untidy public parks.

They expressed concern about the maintenance of existing facilities when the city is going to ask voters in November to raise property taxes to expand services.

To Bailey's credit, Faatz said, service is getting better.

"Just this last week I had a delightful conversation with Kim Bailey, who also the next day followed through on a request for maintenance of a particular gulch that has bothered my constituents," Faatz said, adding that Bailey has shown she is capable of producing results quickly.

Bailey, who earns $110,423 annually, is poised to receive $5,197 more a year.

Faatz said she needs more information, such as the 2008 budget and salary increases of the mayor's Cabinet over the years compared to other city workers, before she can make a final decision.

Selling points

• Mayor John Hickenlooper's office made these points about the proposed raises for eight of his 11 Cabinet members:

• Nearly all are at the bottom of a pay range of comparable jobs.

• City attorney's salary is $15,959 less than under former Mayor Wellington Webb.

• Salaries for general services, environmental health and parks and recreation managers are all $3,648 less than under Webb.

• Aviation manager's salary is $21,432 less than under Webb.

chacond@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5099