City manager gets 10 percent raise

One city manager offers to work for free, while another one gets a 10 percent raise

Temple City-City Attorney City Manager Charles Martin, who gets $96,696 a year as city manager and $61,980, offered to continue working after his retirement free of charge, while La Verne City Manager Martin Lomeli got a pay bump to $194,580.

Temple City has 33,377 residents, and La Verne has 31,638 residents.

Alfred Lee reports:

TEMPLE CITY – As the economy sputters and cities dig deep to avoid cutting services, one high-ranking bureaucrat said he is willing to work for free.

Amidst discussion about his potential retirement and replacement, City Manager-City Attorney Charles Martin has offered to continue on in both of his positions – as an unpaid volunteer.

“I was contemplating my retirement on February 5, 2009, but that if the Council could not find a replacement by that date, I would be happy to return the benefit of my 44 year tenure with the City by continuing in office – even if I had to serve as a volunteer, without pay for a part or all of that time,” Martin, 84, wrote in a Jan. 15 manager’s report.

Wes Woods II reports:

LA VERNE – City Manager Martin R. Lomeli will receive a 10 percent increase of his base salary. The City Council approved the increase Tuesday night by a 4-1 vote.

Later in the week, Lomeli said he was “very grateful” for the increase. The increase was a management performance award, city officials said.

Lomeli’s pay had been $14,741 a month and now will be $16,215 a month, or $194,580 a year.