ABSTRACT: For Fiscal Year 2008/09, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s General Fund Budget is a total of $ 14,294,494. Of that $14,294,494, $ 806,999 is budgeted for Administration, $ 994,753 for Administrative Services, $224,763 for Information Services/Network Management, $ 164,434 for Legal, $9,300 for Engineering and $2,400 for Treasurer. “City Administration” expenditures, including salary/benefits and materials/services, total $2,202,649 or 15% of the total budget. The most recent data for salaries for the “City Administration,” as presented on the City’s website, are compiled, including employee groups. GENERAL COMMENTS and SPECIFIC COMMENTS are made specifically regarding the performance of the City Administrator. At Will and General Employee Benefits are presented as REFERENCE.
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Administration:
Rich Guillen, City Administrator
Employee Group: At Will
Monthly Salary: $11,500.00/ $138,000.00 Annually
Molly Laughlin, Executive Assistant
Employee Group: At Will
Minimum Monthly Salary: $3,873.00/$46,476.00 Annually
Maximum Monthly Salary: $4,708.00/$56,496.00 Annually
Heidi Burch, Asst City Administrator/ City Clerk/
Employee Group: At Will
Minimum Monthly Salary: $7,905.00/$94,860.00 Annually
Maximum Monthly Salary: $9,608.00/$115,296.00 Annually
Stephanie Pearce, Administrative Coordinator
Employee Group: General
Minimum Monthly Salary: $3,699.00/$44,388.00 Annually
Maximum Monthly Salary: $4,498.00$53,976.00 Annually
Joyce Giuffre, Administrative Services Director
Employee Group: At Will
Minimum Monthly Salary: $7,482.00/$89,784.00 Annually
Maximum Monthly Salary: $9,093.00/$109,116.00 Annually
Jane Miller, Human Resources Manager
Employee Group: At Will
Minimum Monthly Salary: $6,840.00/$82,080.00 Annually
Maximum Monthly Salary: $8,314.00/$99,768.00 Annually
Karen Love, Finance Specialist
Employee Group: General
Minimum Monthly Salary: $3,888.00/$46,656.00 Annually
Maximum Monthly Salary: $4,726.00/$56,712.00 Annually
Steve McInchak, Information Services Manager
Employee Group: At Will
Minimum Monthly Salary: $6,840.00/$82,080.00 Annually
Maximum Monthly Salary: $8,314.00/$99,768.00 Annually
Don Freeman, City Attorney
Employee Group: At Will
Monthly Salary: $7,500.00/$90,000.00 Annually
Dewey Evans, City Treasurer
Contractual Services: $2,400.00 Annually
Clayton Neill, Jr., City Engineer
Professional and Contractual Services: $9,300.00 Annually
GENERAL COMMENTS:
• For a city of 4,081 permanent residents, only 1 square mile area and 68 full time employees, the City Administrator of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea is arguably highly compensated at a salary of $138,000/year and benefits compared to other City Administrators and City Managers. And while that compensation may be at a level which reflects the competitive market environment and the financial position of the City, it arguably does not reflect the individual’s annual performance. Specifically, in over eight years as City Administrator, Rich Guillen has not proactively and competently administered to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, as evident in the following:
• The City Administrator, over an eight year period, has not demonstrated an adequate knowledge of municipal affairs, good judgment, planning ahead, anticipating needs and recognizing potential problems, such as his failure to educate the public and address the consolidation of the Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey and Pacific Grove Fire Departments. Moreover, he has exhibited a poor quality of analysis that accompanies recommendations and he has not shown a good sense of timing in bringing issues to the City Council for action.
• The City Administrator, over an eight year period, has not demonstrated sufficient knowledge of financial matters, such as the appropriate amount of reserve funds relative to the annual budget, use of consultants and outside contractors, et cetera.
• The City Administrator, over an eight year period, has not been effective in assuring staff makes a positive impression on citizens, such as refusing to allow employees with the requisite background, knowledge and experience to directly respond to citizen queries.
• The City Administrator, over an eight year period, has generally not made a positive impression on citizens and is not respected as a competent administrator in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Moreover, he appears to not have sufficient leadership characteristics and rarely shows initiative in dealing with issues, but rather waits for “policy direction” from the mayor and city council on a myriad of basic issues.
SPECIFIC COMMENTS:
• Overemphasis on consultants and outside contractors and under emphasis on long-term employees with institutional memory; and a general failure to advocate for the funding and implementation of consultants’ studies recommendations, such as the recommendations of the Nichols Consulting Pavement Management Study, Forest Studies, et cetera.
• Underfunding and understaffing of critical and essential City Departments, such as Forest, Parks and Beach Department.
• Underfunding Capital Improvement Projects, such as critical infrastructure street maintenance/repaving projects and a failure to adequately budget for such projects on an annual basis.
• Failure to advocate for the funding and implementation of the Forest Theater Master Plan in phases over time.
• Failure to advocate for the funding and completion of permanent Carmel Beach restrooms on Scenic Road, as recommended by the City’s Local Coastal Program since certification in 2003.
• Multi-years delay in the funding and completion of the 4th Avenue Riparian Habitat Project, years after the removal of the Eucalyptus trees.
• Failure to advocate for the adequate funding of Harrison Memorial Library, particularly with regard to opening the Library on Sundays.
• Failure to advocate for the funding and completion of ADA compliance upgrades and improvements to the Scout House so the City’s Community Center could be reopened to the public and user groups.
• Overemphasis of and overfunding for Marketing and Economic Revitalization without tangible results and commensurate funding for tourist accommodations, e.g., adequate number and quality of public restrooms.
• Overall, a lack of investment in specifically resident-oriented items, such as reforestation, streets/avenues/roads maintenance, City assets e.g. Flanders Mansion, Scout House, Forest Theatre, Public Works building, et cetera, by annually budgeting for the maintenance and upgrades of these items.
REFERENCE:
Classifications Definitions:
At Will
Cafeteria Plan: $0.00 + 0% Deferred Compensation: $25.00
Health Insurance: $1,306.01 Life Insurance: $11.84
Long Term Disability: $0.00 Retirement Contribution: 17.3%
Retirement Pick-up: 0% Social Security: 0.0% Medicare: 1.45%
BENEFITS
Health Insurance
Employer contributes up to $1230.32 month for medical, coverage. Medical insurance is provided through the CalPERS Plan. Dental and Vision insurance is City-funded at an average cost of $75.69/mo. per covered employee.
Other Benefits
At-Will employees are hired through individual, negotiated contracts, therefore, benefits will differ. In general, At-Will are afforded the same benefits of the Management Association (except Union-only benefits), or those which may be otherwise negotiated.
General
Cafeteria Plan: $0.00 + 0% Deferred Compensation: $0.00
Health Insurance: $1,119.00 Life Insurance: $11.84
Long Term Disability: $0.00 Retirement Contribution: 17.3%
Retirement Pick-up: 0% Social Security: 0.0% Medicare: 1.45%
BENEFITS
AD&D
Coverage is $30,000, employer covers 100% of the premium at a cost of $1.20/month.
Bereavement Leave
3 days/year.
Deferred Compensation
Voluntary 457 plan, no employer contribution.
General Leave
8 hours/year.
Health Insurance
Health Insurance: Medical coverage is available through CalPERS (PEHMCA). Employer contributes up to $401.27/month for employee only, $802.55 for employee plus one, $1043.31/month for employee plus 2 or more for medical insurance (Amounts include the mandatory employer contribution to PERS)Dental and Vision insurance: Employer covers 100% through a self-funded program at an average cost of $75.69/month, which provides annually for a $25 deductible and $1,500 cap for dental and $45 for eye exams, $50 for Single, $70 for Trifocal, $140 for Lenticular, and $50 for Contact lenses, each eye.
Holidays
12 days/year.
Life Insurance
Coverage is $30,000, employer covers 100% of the premium at a cost of $11.84/month.
Long Term Disability
Coverage is 60% of salary, 60 day waiting period, no employer contribution, voluntary employee paid plan at a cost of 1.2% of salary.
Retirement
PERS 2% @ 55, employer contribution rate is 17.3%, employee contribution rate is 7%, employer does not pick-up the employee contribution. (4th level 1959 Survivor is available at an employee paid cost of $2/month) Military Service Credit, Single Highest Year, and Service Credit for unused sick leave is provided.
Sick Leave
96 hours/year, employees with at least 5 years of service may cash out 25% if terminated, or 50% if retired, up to a maximum of 150 hours if terminated, or 300 hours if retired if hired after November 1984, no maximum if hired prior to November 1984.
Supplemental Retirement
Employer paid at rate of $1.08 per hour worked for employees represented by LIUNA Local 270 and hired prior to December 7, 2005, administered through Laborers International Union of North America; Employees hired on or after December 7, 2005 who work 20 hours or more shall pay premium of $1.09 per hour worked for supplemental retirement benefit.
Vacation
1 - 4 years = 80 hours/year, 5 - 10 years = 120 hours/year, 11 - 15 years = 160 hours/year, 15+ years = 176 hours/year, maximum accrual is 2 times annual rate, no cash out plan. Employees may cash out up to 40 hours/fiscal year, subject to the provision of MOU.
2 comments:
Years ago, the city of Seaside chose not to promote Rich Guillen to the position of city manager of Seaside. Instead, knowing Seaside would have to pay the going, competitive rate for any city manager, chose to search for and hire a competent city manager. Remember too Sue McCloud picked Rich Guillen without the benefit of a company to find the most qualified applicant. As long as Carmel voters keep reeelecting Sue McCloud we will continue to suffer the consequences of a weak, inept city administrator in Rich Guillen. Rich has just been a yes man to Sue all these years. He has not been a city administrator for the citizens of Carmel. And it is too bad because with each passing year the city falls more and more behind in the services it should be providing current residents and physical requirements of the city.
Since it is widely recognised by everybody but the mayor that Rich Guillen has never been competent to do his job, why is he the highest paid city administrator in the area? Because of his incompetence the city has had to hire various other well paid people such as Heidi Burch to do what Guillen should be doing but is apparently incapable of doing. Burch for example has to do her own job plus a lot of Guillen's so may well be fairly compensated. Other well compensated people might well be completely unnecessary if Carmel had a competent city administrator. For example, a city with so few employees shouldn't need an HR manager at all. Those duties should easily be handled by the city administrator working with department heads. If Carmel's departments had heads and a competent administrator the HR position would be unnecessary. The city council is always crying poor although it never spends all its revenue. Given its reluctance to spend money however wouldn't it be more efficent to hire a competent city administrator, get rid of some of the employees in the top heavy administrative office and use what money the city council is willing to spend to hire the department heads and staff which the city so badly needs?
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