Council increases city manager's compensation by 7.6 percent

Archive for Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Gonzales had not seen a raise in six years, council member says

February 12, 2013

The Shawnee City Council voted Monday to give City Manager Carol Gonzales a raise.

The council voted 7-1 to increase Gonzales’ total annual compensation by 7.6 percent. That includes a 5 percent increase in base salary, to $145,530 from $138,600; a $5,000 increase in deferred compensation, to $15,000; and continuation of the city manager’s $8,200 car allowance.

Ward 4 council member Mickey Sandifer made the motion to approve the pay increases, which will become effective March 1. Ward 1 council member Dan Pflumm cast the lone “no” vote.

The vote on Gonzales’ compensation came after the council voted to recess into executive session for 15 minutes. They returned in 45 minutes.

Sandifer said he supported Gonzales’ raise because “we don’t want to lose her.” Shawnee’s city manager since December 2005, Gonzales has not received a raise for six years and hasn’t wanted one due to the tough economic times the city has been enduring, Sandifer said.

“I don’t think she really wanted this one,” he added, but a look at salaries of Gonzales’ counterparts indicated some adjustment was merited.

According to a comparison reviewed during the executive session, Gonzales’ total compensation was $156,800, the lowest among the top administrators in Johnson County’s five largest cities.

The total compensation for city managers or city administrators in the other four cities are $190,151 in Leawood, $193,229 in Lenexa, $209,019 in Olathe and $188,800 in Overland Park. Gonzales’ total compensation, following Monday’s council vote, is $168,730.