The Rupert City Council in August approved a $12,000 salary increase for City Administrator Kelly Anthon — who also serves as President Pro Tempore of the Idaho Senate — in order to increase the salary of other city employees.

The city uses a “kinds and levels” pay scale, meaning no other employee can make more money than the city administrator. That created a problem, Anthon told the Times-News, when the city discovered that linemen who work for the city-owned electric utility could make more than him.

“In order for the city’s pay scale to be corrected, they had to adjust my pay,” Anthon said.

As of last summer, Anthon was earning $130,000 per year, according to his employment agreement and data from Transparent Idaho last updated in June 2024. The next five highest-paid city emplo

See Full Page