To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: DIANE STRICKFADEN, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
TITLE
title
AMEND THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO COMPENSATION FOR THE POSITIONS OF MAYOR, CITY COUNCILMEMBER AND CITY CLERK
INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 3244-22, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTION 2-3.905 OF ARTICLE 9, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 2 OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE, ESTABLISHING THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE MAYOR FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING
INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 3245-22, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTION 2-3.906 OF ARTICLE 9, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 2 OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE, ESTABLISHING THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING
INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 3246-22, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTION 2-3.902 OF ARTICLE 9, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 2 OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE, ESTABLISHING THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE CITY CLERK FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING
end
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Under the City Charter, the salary for elected officials must be set at least 30 days prior to the nomination period for a new four-year term. The filing period for the March 2023 election will open on November 14, 2022. Therefore, adjustments to salaries, if any, must be codified in an adopted ordinance no later than October 14, 2022.
At their meeting on September 20, 2022, the City Council reviewed the salary of the Mayor, City Council, City Clerk and City Treasurer positions after receiving recommendations from the Budget and Finance Commission. During that meeting, the City Council voted to adjust some of the salaries for the positions being considered, at the beginning of their next term. Specifically, the City Council voted to increase the salaries for the positions of Mayor, City Councilmember and City Clerk, while keeping the salary of the City Treasurer position the same. For the District 3 and 5 City Councilmember positions, and the City Clerk position, new terms start in April 2023. For the Mayor and District 1, 2 and 4 Councilmember positions, the new terms start in April 2025.
The various position’s salary adjustments are clarified in the chart below:
|
Position |
From |
To |
Effective Date |
|
Mayor |
$927.31/mo |
$1669.16/mo |
April 1, 2025 |
|
City Council (District 3 & 5) |
$927.31/mo |
$1669.16/mo |
April 1, 2023 |
|
City Council (District 1, 2 & 4) |
$927.31/mo |
$1669.16/mo |
April 1, 2025 |
|
City Clerk |
$10,558/mo |
$10,874.74/mo |
April 1, 2023 |
|
City Treasurer |
$2083.33/mo |
$2083.33/mo |
No Change |
Attached for Council review and consideration are three proposed ordinances that, if approved, would codify these adjustments.
BACKGROUND
Mayor and City Council Positions: The compensation and benefits for the Mayor and City Councilmembers is specified in the Municipal Code and established by the City Council via ordinance. The compensation has been reviewed by the City Council five times since 2008. The pay for the Mayor and City Councilmembers has not increased since April 1, 2007. Current compensation for both Mayor and Councilmembers is $927.31 per month ($11,127.72 per year). The Mayor and City Council also receive deferred compensation in the amount of 12% of their salary, and the same fringe benefits provided to Management and Confidential employees.
The City Charter requires that any changes to the Mayor or City Council’s salary must be made at least 30 days prior to the nomination period for a new four-year term. Government Code Section 36516 lays out regulations for general law cities regarding how Councilmember salaries may be adjusted. Also, the Redondo Beach City Charter states that Mayor and Council salaries shall be set by ordinance in conformance with the above Government Code section. Section 36516 allows salaries to increase no more than 5% per year from the last increase.
On April 1, 2023, it will be 16 years since the last increase (in April 1, 2007), where the monthly salary was established at $927.31 per month by Ordinances 2959-05 and 2960-05, for the Mayor and Councilmember positions, respectively. Therefore, salaries are eligible to be adjusted by up to 80%, which equates to a new salary of $1669.16 per month.
At their meeting of September 19, 2022, the Budget and Finance Commission provided a recommendation to increase City Council salaries by 48% (which equated to 3% per year times 16 years). After receiving this recommendation and deliberating further, the City Council voted 4-0 to increase the City Council District 3 and 5 Council salaries to $1669.16 per month effective April 1, 2023. They also voted to increase the Mayor’s salary and Districts 1, 2 and 4 Council salaries, to $1669.16 per month effective April 1, 2025.
City Clerk Position: The compensation and benefits for the City Clerk was last set via Ordinance 3124-14, which was adopted in 2014. The Ordinance established the City Clerk salary with yearly adjustments from 2015 through 2018. In 2018, the City Council reviewed the salary of the City Clerk position again, and voted to make no additional changes. The salary has been set at $10,558 per month since April 1, 2018.
The City Charter requires that any changes to the City Clerk’s salary must also be made at least 30 days prior to the nomination period for a new four-year term. It cannot be increased or decreased from that point until the completion of a subsequent four-year term.
The elected City Clerk position oversees three full time employees and is responsible for stand-alone elections, records management, City Council and agency agendas and minutes, administering the Commission appointment process, maintaining the City’s legislative history and other functions.
At their meeting of September 19, 2023, the Budget and Finance Commission recommended providing the City Clerk position with a one-time 3% increase in April 2023. The City Council reviewed this recommendation and deliberated further, voting 4-0 instead to increase the City Clerk salary 3% in 2023 (to $10,874.74/month) with additional 2% increases each year in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Per ordinance, the City Clerk position receives the same benefits as the Management and Confidential Employee Unit. No changes to these benefits are currently being proposed.
It should be noted that no change to the City Treasurer’s salary is being considered at this time.
COORDINATION
The Human Resources Department coordinated this report with the Finance Department and the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
Upon adoption of the FY 2022-2023 annual budget, the City Council approved $12,500 in funding for Council position increases. The funding is sufficient to cover the proposed increases, which will take effect with three months of the fiscal year remaining. Compensation changes affecting future fiscal years will be included in future operating budgets.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Ord - City Council Salary Adjustment
• Ord - Mayor Salary Adjustment
• Ord - City Clerk Salary Adjustment