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.
Great, maybe these cities can hire more retirees that are over 80 years old that are willing to work for "free", but I can assure you that if you want competent people to run your city, you need to pay them decent salaries.