Alhtough televising is an idea to get more interest, just remember that an additional $1000/month for TV30 is just that much more that the District will have to charge the residents every year to make up for the cost.

@member,

The District has 145,000 rate payers. So $12,000 if passed onto all of the rate payers would increase your bill by 8-1/4 cents.

However, the $12,000 was available this year, but it was used to pay a 1.5% COLA to senior managers instead, which you might have known about if the Staff Report had been available online.

Here?s what was in Board Meeting Agenda Consent Calendar for November 16, 2011:

F. Senior Managers 2010 Salary Adjustments

When I saw this entry in the online Agenda, I phoned for the details. I was told that the Senior Managers, whose pay is between $175,000 and $185,000 a year, would be getting a 1.5% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

I had just received a letter from Social Security saying that there would be no COLA in 2011. So I attended the November 16, 2011 meeting to question this item.

I thought the COLA included General Manager Bert Michalczyk ($265,000) too, which is how I came up with the figure of at least $12,000. If only the four Senior Managers received COLAs the total would be closer to $11,000

This is from the Minutes of the November 16, 2011 Board Meeting:

8. CONSENT CALENDAR

In response to a speaker card received from Ms. Rogoff related to Item 8F, President Hansen invited her to address the Board.

Speaker: Ms. Roz Rogoff, San Ramon Resident - Ms. Rogoff expressed her dismay about Item 8.F on the Consent Calendar. She stated that she did not believe it was an appropriate time for the District?s four senior managers who are making big salaries to receive adjustments. She stated her opinion that this is particularly true when those living on social security are not receiving a cost of living adjustment. She offered examples of how the dollars associated with the proposed adjustment could be used elsewhere, including posting Board agenda packets on the Internet and having Board meetings videotaped for easy public viewing. She stated that she personally thinks the $12,000 per year for these cost of living adjustments could be spent better.

V.P. Howard MOVED for approval of the items on the Consent Calendar. Director Halket SECONDED the MOTION, which CARRIED with FIVE AYES.

You might have known about this if the meeting had been televised.

After the meeting Director Rich Halket told me that the COLA was in the Managers? contracts, so the District is required to pay it. However, San Ramon Valley Unified School District Superintendent Steve Enoch recently turned down a $12,000 salary increase, because ?It was the right thing to do.? Web Link


Roz

Those are definitely good points Roz and when you put it into perspective like that it isn't much. I also understand that sometimes raises are part of a contract and must be given. The public doesn't understand that but that's the way contracts are in public agencies and to get out of them would mean huge even gigantic legal fees for the District (or whatever agency tries to break a contract). I also don't know if it's even possible for someone at an agency like DSRSD or a City agency to turn down a raise... I suspect that every agency is different in that regard. I think it's built into the payroll system. But it is definitely odd (or maybe it's actually common?? and unfortunate) that top managers who make the decisions and fight to keep staff salaries low during contract negotiations are the ones to get the perks while staff does not...in fact, didn't they lay off some staff a while back? And General Managers (and possibly execs too) of public/quasi public agencies often have even more perks than everyone else (look at what just happened with BART and that they had to pay out millions to the top dog who was fired/let go....now THAT is a scam!) This is especially of concern when, as you pointed out, folks on social security are not receiving COLA's.

As a separate note, I enjoyed reading your article and wish that there was someone like you who wrote about all the local public agencies and their Board/council meetings. Granted, there are lots of articles in the bigger newspapers and even the smaller Livermore Independent but yours has a more honest tone and sounds like it's written by a "real person". Thank you.

@member,

Thank you for the complement about sounding like a ?real person.? I?m able to do that because this is a blog and not a news story. I have a lot more freedom to interject my personal experiences and opinions here than news writers, who are supposed to remain objective. That?s why I asked the Express to pay me for writing the blog instead of the news. I like being a real person better too.

You seem to know a lot about the District already. Starting in 2009 the District cut positions, reduced staff and froze salaries. The Unions made concessions too. The 2009 budget was around $865K less than 2008, and the 2010 budget was more than $1M less.

The Executive Group was cut by 3 heads after 2009. I thought the Executive Group was the Senior Managers, but Sue Stephenson explained that this group reports directly to General Manager Bert Michalczyk and is responsible for preparing the Board Packets, Agendas, and Minutes for the District and the two JPA?s (Joint Powers Agreements) the District has with other agencies for the regional sewer pipe (LAVWMA) and recycled water (DERWA).

I don't know if any or all of the Senior Managers turned down the COLAs. I probably should have followed up on that, but I didn?t think of it until I read the story about Superintendent Enoch turning down his raise.


Roz

what a huge rip off....Roz...do the Board members get health care benefits? Incredible salaries....PIRATES!!!

Tazzy,

The board members do not get big salaries. They are paid about $10,000 a year. Most of them get medical benefits, but Lori Rose told me there was a fund set up several years ago for medical benefits and retirement, so that amount is already covered.

You are confusing the Directors with the Senior Managers. They get big salaries but their jobs require a high degree of specialized technical knowledge, training, and experience. It is important to have qualified people working there because water and sewer are such necessary services.