The seven people responsible for the legislative branch of local government who enact, amend and repeal ordinances receive the same amount of money each month -- none.

State College Borough Council members Ruth Lavin, Janet Knauer, R. Thomas Berner, Jerry Wettstone, Tom Daubert, Felicia Lewis and Jean McManis are elected to four-year terms and serve voluntarily.

Borough Manager Peter Marshall said the members are volunteers of the highest degree who receive no money for taking charge of the borough.

"They don't get anything for anything," Marshall said. "Kind of a short story, isn't it?"

Knauer said council members should not be paid for their services because they are performing a service to the community. The members serve as volunteers who are not interested in the money, she said.

"The motivation is pure," she said. "This is community service."

Lavin agreed with Knauer that council members should not be paid. She said when the issue of paying the members came before the council, she voted against it. As long as the borough continues to find public servants, there is no reason to start paying the members, she added.

The seven council members can be found attending meetings in the State College Municipal Building, 118 S. Fraser St., every other Monday night. They also attend work sessions before scheduled meetings and on Fridays.

But the time the members spend at meetings and work sessions is only a fraction of the time they put into other council-related work.

McManis, council president, said she spends an average of 15 hours a week on council work in addition to meetings. Council members read endless agendas and minutes from meetings, she said.

"The amount of papers and reading is scary," McManis said.

Council members are compensated for their expenses while attending training events. Their expenses are also paid for representing the borough each year at the League of Cities and Municipalities Conference.

Council members keep busy by serving on Centre Region Council of Governments committees, acting as liaisons to the borough's authorities, boards and commissions and hearing citizens' complaints. Each member serves as a liaison to two authorities, boards and commissions, one COG committee and other ad hoc committees.

"They are very dedicated volunteers," Marshall said. "It's a hard job. It takes a lot of time."

Daubert said he is motivated to serve on the council by his desire to make State College a better place to live.

"You get interested in the community," he said. "You want to see the community to go in the direction you want it to."