The Libby City Council Jan. 20 meeting heard a lengthy report from city administrator Sam Sikes about the work being done to provide safe drinking water to its residents, but it was during public comment that one attendee raised a few eyebrows with his proposal.

Vince Backen, a business owner and member of the city’s Government Study Commission, went to the podium and said the mayor’s position should be a full time job.

“We should make it full time and pay $80,000,” Backen said. “It will ensure the mayor will focus on the city.”

In a followup interview with The Western News, Backen said his proposal has nothing to do with recently elected Hugh Taylor taking the mayoral reigns.

“This has nothing to do with Hugh,” Backen said. “I said the same thing when Peggy (Williams) was elected mayor. “If we pay someone $80,000, it frees them up to go after the money to make this a better place. The person would be free to obtain state and federal grants, run the city more efficiently. A competent mayor would pay for themselves.”

Another attendee, Jonathan Jameson, who ran unsuccessfully for the mayor’s seat last fall, had other thoughts.

“I don’t think a pay raise for the mayor is right,” Jameson said. “It could be corrupted.”

Hugh Taylor won the November 2025 election for the mayor’s seat and will serve a four-year term. Currently, the mayor makes $8,866 per year.             

Taylor did not reply to an email from The Western News seeking comment on Backen’s idea.

Libby is a third class city due to its population of between 1,000 and 5,000 people. Typically, mayors in cities lower than first class aren’t employed full time.

Cities such as Missoula, Great Falls and Billings have full-time mayors, but they are much larger in size and population.

Backen argued that Libby, with an estimated population of 2,775 in the 2020 census and somewhere around 3,200 now, serves 10,000 people due to it being the county seat and because of the overall growth since Covid hit in the early 2020s.

Backen says he wants to see Libby grow, but he didn’t always feel that way.

“I used to be like a lot of people here, I opposed growth, but it’s good to keep our families here,” Backen said. “I also think Libby will grow because of the class of some of the people who have moved here.”

Backen said what happens with the Port Authority land is also very important to Libby’s future.

“What do we do with the Port land? We need a delegation to go to D.C. to make a pitch. I love Bruce Vincent, but it’s time for something new. It’s the same message over and over, but why do we need to depend on the commodities market?” Backen said.

Backen thinks some Port Authority land could be used for a new jail or training areas for law enforcement or fire crews.

Backen implored council to put his idea on the agenda for a future meeting, but it remains to be seen if they will.