The revised contract for City Manager Michael Dolder increases his annual salary from $150,000, to $186,000, and it also raises his monthly expense reimbursement from $2,500 to $3,500. Together, the new pay structure adds up to an annual $48,000 increase.
Finance Director Hector Lwin will receive a wage increase of $5 an hour. Assuming Lwin works for his maximum limit under state guidelines, the raise increases his annual pay from $100,800 to $105,600.
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The two director positions are held by interim contractors who have overseen wide-scale cuts to Half Moon Bay departments, including the elimination of 16 city positions in March. Dolder recommended $1.75 million in sweeping cuts to the city soon after he began the job in January.
The council approved the pay increases to retain the two interim directors, along with Human Resources Director Gary Rogers, who has not received a wage increase.
Both Dolder and Rogers have previously said they intend to leave Half Moon Bay once the cutbacks and reorganization of the city departments have been finalized.
Council members defended the wage increases, saying both Dolder and Lwin have provided invaluable and tireless service as the city negotiates a treacherous course. Dolder was singled out as the architect for the city’s strategy to remain intact after paying the $18 million Beachwood debt.
Councilman Jim Grady objected to the raises, saying they were inappropriate given the context.
“I can’t support an increase when we just laid folks off,” he said.
The council approved the resolutions for the three contracted employees as the final item of business after an exhaustive meeting involving the council authorizing a bond package to pay off its massive debts.
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