HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-03-2016 Item 14, GradyFR ECid1VED R 2 9 2616 lErl
April 29, 2016
Re: Agenda Item #14 - City Council Meeting May 3, 2016
Dear Mayor Marx and City Council Members:
I am appalled by your resolution to award $5,000 each as "retention incentives" to both
City Manager Katie Lichtig and City Attorney Christine Dietrick. Both are already over
compensated for a city of our size. Ms. Lichtig earns $230,464 per year ($321,201 with
benefits) and Ms. Dietrick receives $194,844 per year ($275,778 with benefits).
By way of comparison, Governor Brown earns $177,466 per year and the mayor of Los
Angeles (population 3.8 million) earns $232,426 - a mere $2,000 more than Ms. Lichtig.
Kamala Harris, CA State Attorney General, earns $158,683.
How can you justify our city manager earning 130% of what Governor Brown earns and
our city attorney earning 122% of what our state attorney general earns?
The resolution for this `retention incentive' cites these two employees' salaries are not
being increased as they already fall within 5% of the market median. Yet isn't this bonus
in essence a back door salary increase?
Your resolution goes on to justify these bonuses by citing the cost of turnover, implying
this may avoid turnover of these two positions. You should consider the amount of upper
management turnover our city has seen during Ms. Lichtig's reign as city manager.
It seems many (most) department heads have resigned (or been forced out) during her
tenure, including the dismissal of Chief Gesell at a needless cost to taxpayers of
$120,000. We have had a seemingly revolving door of City Clerks in recent years, and
we find ourselves once again without a Finance Director. What has been the cost of all
this turnover? And why would your reward the city manager given these added costs she
has incurred upon our city?
While $10,000 is a pittance of our city's tax dollars, I believe it is a misuse of our money
and - if granted - only further illustrates the disconnect between the actions of this city
council and the will of the people of San Luis Obispo who expect you to be better
stewards of our hard earned money.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
John Grady
San Luis Obispo, CA CO HNC H l\� i ] "l 11v1�; ; `x/31 � �