For Whom the Bell Tolls: Local Cities Provide Top Executive Salary Information in Wake of Bell Controversy
By Terry Miller
Published: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
The City of Monrovia and Arcadia Already Have Posted Their Salaries On their respective websites
By Terry Miller
Quite unlike the famous Hemmingway novel which describes in graphic detail the horrors of the civil war, the Bell Controversy is extremely disturbing on a far different level but does show how the horrors and inequity of our government can deeply affect those it is entrusted to provide for.
In the wake this contemptible controversy, local cities are feeling the heat to disclose top officials’ salaries hoping to avert any potential fallout like the embattled Bell.
Distrust of politicians and the way their cities are run is not a new phenomenon but the national attention Bell has received has opened the floodgates for transparency at the highest levels.
Former Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo, was making close to $800,000. Rizzo, after media and public pressure, resigned in disgrace last month.
Bell is known as one of the poorest California cities and therefore even more vulgar that the city manager pocketed a salary twice that of the President of the United States.
It is not only the salaries and benefits that caught the media high intensity spotlight, it was the bonuses and numerous perks afforded that city council.
In an effort to garner trust, media outlets across California, including this newspaper group, filed official records requests with local cities for similar information for all senior staff.
Beacon Media requested local cities provide documents involving key employees of each City/District/Agency for the calendar year ending 12/31/2009 pursuant to the CA Supreme Court decision S134253.
While most cities seemed fairly similar, one salary jumped out at us. The City Clerk of Temple City, Mary Flandrick receives wages of $112,900 compared to Arcadia’s Jim Barrow who gets only $6000 annually.
However, Temple City Clerk is a full time position by comparison to most other city clerks. The city of Sierra Madre is by far the lowest in compensation but also the smallest city of those we looked into.
Here’s the breakdown per City starting with:
ARCADIA:
The City Manager’s office provided the following salary information- Additionally, their website has some of the most up to date salary information we’ve seen from any city in California.
Elected Officials receive $6000 annually
City Clerk gets $ 6 ,000 annually
(Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and Council members also receive $30 per Redevelopment Agency meeting
Department Heads)
City Manager Don Pennman $214,032
Assistant City Manager/Dev. Services Director Jason Kruckeberg $160,368
Chief of Police Bob Sanderson $174,528
Fire Chief Tony Trabbie $170,268
Public Works $ 138,288
Administrative Services Director Hue Quach. $ 141,744
Library and Museum Services Director – Carolyn Garner Reagan $119,256
Recreation Director Sar Somogyi $ 125,280
Sierra Madre:
Sierra Madre City Manager Elaine Agular has kindly provided the Information for that city:
Elaine AguilarCity Manager: – $142,992.
Karin Schnaider, Director of Administrative Services – $90,648
Bruce Inman, Director of Public Works – $95,244
Toni Buckner, Director of Libraries – $95,244
Danny Castro, Director of Development Services – $90,648
Elisa Weaver, Dir. of Personnel and Community Services – $84,144
Steve Heydorff, Fire Chief (Volunteer)/Assistant Fire Chief – $80,064
Marilyn Diaz, Police Chief – $102,132
Pasadena
Mayor $24,615.48
Council members $16,410.72
City Manager $264,999.90
Police Chief $214,999.82
City Clerk’s salary,
$143,006.03
Parks and Rec Director’s salary,
* Parks is under the Public Works Department, and that director’s rate is $192,058.88
* Recreation is under the Human Services and Recreation Department, and that director’s rate is $160,600.96
Fire Chief, $212,015.86
Assistant City Manager $201,690.32
Head Librarian $166,243.58
Meanwhile four city managers make more than $200,000 in our immediate area with Pasadena City Manager Michael Beck collecting the most ($264,999). Arcadia’s City Manager Don Penman ($214,032), Alhambra City Manager Julio Fuentes ($209,337), and Duarte’s top official, Darrell George ($205,344).
MONROVIA
The City of Monrovia posted its salaries prior to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger challenged California’s cities Thursday to post public officials’ salaries on websites if they have nothing to hide.
Monrovia City Council salaries of $460 per month ($4,800 annually) \
City Manager salary of $181,956 annually.
Mayor and City Council Members $ 4,800
City contribution towards health, dental and vision benefits; $30/Council meeting for presiding over the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency and Monrovia Finance Authority
City Clerk $ 4,800
City Treasurer: $ 4,356
City Manager: $ 181,956
Administrative Services Director/ $ 154,653
Assistant City Manager $ 158,519
Community Services Director $ 140,594
Director of Human Resources & Management $ 144,108
Public Works Director $ 140,594
Fire Chief $ 158,888
Police Chief $ 162,386
For these two positions there is a City contribution towards health, dental and vision benefits; deferred compensation plan; City vehicle; certification pay; and potential for performance bonus
Temple City:
The City Manager’s Salary is $195,000. Director of Parks and recreation gets $126, 070, City Clerk $112,900, Community Development Manager, $104,90 and Financial Services manager $103,880. Although not yet filled , Temple City will pay Community Development Director/City Planner $120,000 and Economic Development Manager and Assistant City Manager an approximate salary of $120,00
City Council Members get $5760 per annum. Additional a $30 per redevelopment meeting applies as well as $120 for every Community Development and Housing Authority meeting attended.
Local City Manager Total Salaries are listed below:
Jeffrey Allred, Rosemead – $175,000
Rene Bobadilla, El Monte – $170,000
Tony Ybarra, South El Monte – $120,000
Michael Beck, Pasadena – $264,999
Don Penman, Arcadia – $214,032
Darrell George, Duarte – $205,344
Jose Pulido, Temple City – $195,000
Matt Ballantyne, San Marino – $192,096
Scott Ochoa, Monrovia – $181,956
Steve Preston, San Gabriel – $181,546
Elaine Aguilar, Sierra Madre – $142,992
John Davidson, South Pasadena – $109,000
Transparency in local and national government is everyone’s desire but until recently, much of this information has been shrouded in mystery and considered inside information. We hope, in the coming months, to delve further into how so many officials like those in Bell can collect considerably more in pensions and severance pay than by actually working. Many officials in Bell are receiving multiple pay packets from numerous municipalities.
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