Supes OK raises for 6-figure execs
Montgomery questions, but then votes ‘yes’
Placer County Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery is asking questions about wage-increase and hiring policies. Montgomery, who represents eastern Placer County on the board, shone the light Tuesday on what have normally been rubber-stamped 5 percent “merit increases” for two managers after pulling them off the consent agenda. At the end of discussion, she joined the board in voting unanimously to approve the increases. Then she queried Director of Adult System of Care Maureen Bauman on procedures that resulted in the hiring of a new staff psychiatrist with a wage and compensation package that is budgeted to go as high as $322,000. That appointment was approved, also on a 5-0 vote. The board’s consent agenda included merit increases for Richard Knecht, Health and Human Services Department client services director (to $58.96 an hour or $122,636 a year), and Janet Fogarty, managing accountant auditor (to $53.84 an hour or $111,987 a year). Consent items are usually adopted by supervisors in a collective motion without discussion. A member of the public or a supervisor can request that they be separated out for discussion. Montgomery said she wasn’t singling any particular employee out but wanted to have the raises placed on the main agenda to allow public discussion. She had made the same request two weeks ago when supervisors met in Tahoe. The agenda included a 5 percent merit increase for Linda Oakman, the county’s administrative services manager (to $53.84 an hour, or $111,987 a year). The latest round of consent agenda increases comes a month after the Journal reported the approval without discussion of seven managers’ merit pay hikes. They included increases to $243,131 for Chief Assistant CEO Rich Colwell and to $159,078 for Stephen Pecor, chief probation officer. Tom Miller, county CEO, told Tuesday’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors that the Journal “clearly didn’t quite frame what they are about.” He stated the increases are for meeting or exceeding desired progress within steps in pay scales that have previously been negotiated in contract agreements. Unlike 760 Placer Public Employees Organization or Deputy Sheriff’s Association union members whose merit and step increases didn’t go before the board last fiscal year, managers’ are required to be considered by supervisors, Miller said. Miller added that the increases have all been budgeted for in this year’s county spending plan. The county’s spending plan is now in a state of flux because of new $26-million revenue-shortfall projection. Montgomery, as she had in Tahoe, made the motion to approve the increases. “I’m not trying to pick on anyone here,” Montgomery said, adding that she feels it’s important to address the issue of the increases at the policy level. Montgomery, who was elected last November, also made queries involving the recruitment and selection of psychiatrist Steve Sugden, who is filling a vacant position due to a recent retirement with the Adult System of Care. Sugden’s direct compensation for his work as staff psychiatrist between this Aug. 16 and Aug. 16, 2010, is $272,200. His total compensation package for benefits has been limited to $321,622. Sugden’s contract pact with the county includes a base salary of $204,684, plus a cost of living adjustment in November, and $23,000 for 15 weeks when he will be on-call to conduct admissions to the county psychiatric health facility. Montgomery asked Bauman whether the county is opening up the hiring procedure to do the job for less money, including calling for a request for proposals. Bauman said that “we do recruitments to see who is interested in the position” and added that the county “didn’t get a huge response.” Federal and state funds will pay for $225,135 of the compensation package while the county pays $96,487 out of its general fund. Bauman said the psychiatrist position with the county saves money because it assists in the “strategic management of short lengths of stay in the psychiatric hospital.” The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.
Keywords
Placer County Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery, Director of Adult System of Care Maureen Bauman, Richard Knecht, Health and Human Services Department, Janet Fogarty, managing accountant auditor, Linda Oakman, county administrative services manager, Auburn Journal, Assistant CEO Rich Colwell, Stephen Pecor, chief probation officer, Tom Miller, county CEO, Placer Public Employees Organization, Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Steve Sugden, psychiatrist,
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We need five Jennifer Montgomerys in the BOS. Maybe then the rubber stamp and good ole boys club would disappear.
From what ive read in the past few days, everyone else is getting their automatic cost of living raises in a recession, and these 5% merit raises are nothing different..more waste of our taxpayer dollars...
Everyone else is getting automatic cost of living increases? Teachers in the PUHSD have taken a 2% cut in order to keep programs running and teachers working. And I know many county workers have also been furloughed. Why can't these guys do the same?
OK Gus, you at the AJ need to pursue this. I hope this isn't an article that's sole purpose is sell newspapers. Send a veteran reporter after the BOS and the Auburn City Council. Keep on them until they resign. Expose the corrupt, the morally and ethically bankrupt officials. Get in their faces and ask the hard questions. otherwise it's just so much fluff.
And Peer Court is still not funded.
they voted for the increase anyway, so how did bringing it to light change anything. I vote NO, so It's not unamious. Those poor people how will they ever make it in this economy. Suck it.
In the non government marketplace there are salary freezes on. Many people have either lost their jobs or have taken paycut of 5% to 25%. Commission sales people and small business owners have seen their incomes fall more then 50%. That is the real world.
In government, employees are getting 5% plus merit increases. Interesting. . . . and just who pays the taxes that fund these jobs. . . .oh wait. . . .that is the peple in the first paragraph.
How do you ferlow your employees then vote to give yourself a raise. I fear the same thing will happen in the city of Auburn when they are done taking money from the cops and fire. "pay for performance at it's best."
Understand something here: COLAs and step increases are part of the County employee contract. If an employee is due a step increase, they get it, whether they are a department manager, desk clerk, or custodian. The furloughs are part of the deal too.
The reality, people, is that if the economy were "hot" most of you would not care about the govenment employees and this article would never be in the AJ. Many of you would finger government employees for being unmotivated or not skilled enough to get a job in the private sector, then you would brag about your bonuses and perks. Now, in a down economy, those who chose a more stable work environment are being chastised. I don't recall people b****ing about goverment workers' salaries 5 years ago.
"Understand something here: COLAs and step increases are part of the County employee contract."
Yes and that is the problem with all these union contracts..the state, counties and cities are not able to pay..including un supportable retirement packages...look at what happend to Vallejo..and Orange County...the "entitlement" attitude has to change....and Im getting tired of paying more taxes....
Yesterday, we read that our deputies agreed to take a pay cut, but wanted the money to stay in public safety. Miller refused, but said he was confident the county would put the deputies' money to good use for the benefits of the citizens. Today we find out that "benefit" is pay raises for himself and his top executives. Unbelievable! Simply unbelievable! I wonder if the deputies will still be willing to take pay cuts knowing the money will help fund executive raises!
Auburnite, READ THE STORY! These raises were weren't for union members. The union members are taking pay cuts!
Realist- I concur with your position; the employees of the county who have already taken furlough days so Miller can slide these nice and well deserved pay raises down to he and his round table is hypocrisy at its finest.
Well..I still have plenty of pitch forks for sale and none of you have been buying...is it the heat? They always know it is best to pass these raises when it 100 degrees..everyone is hunkered down. So torches and pitch forks would be advisable at this time.
The spandex female bike outfits are all gone...and I actually found a couple in the bushes on Wise road the other day...and it appears some of the styles caused an unwanted rash and this must be since a few were made in China.
Stock up now and be prepared for the next sup meeting...things will be getting much worse in the near future
The Bored of Supervisors once again demonstrates its lack of business acumen and irresponsibility in approving raises for already grossly overpaid "managers". Tom Miller is lucky he is not coming to work in an orange jumpsuit. Rich Colwell's job should be eliminated. This is just a little cow county and does not need people who paid more than the Governor. The Bored of Supervisors should be focused on reducing the bloated county payroll not hiring psychiatrists at $322,000 per year. Does anyone have any common sense? Apparently not.
loomis...she voted with them.
Which is worse...pretending to care, or not caring at all?
But guess what folks...this is a lesson in SMALL GOVERNMENT vs BIG GOVERNMENT.
We can actually hold these people responsible. We can kick them out. Good luck changing anything that happens in Washington or Sacramento. Those politicians are fully bought and paid for by international corporations, unions and special interests.
Now you know why conservatives are for local government control. We can fix this problem. Expect to see a big turnover at the next BOS election cycle.
Conservatives need to make sure that we do not dump our moderate/liberal BOS members for liberal ones though. We need to find conservatives to fill those seats.
Thank you Jennifer. At least when you raid the treasury you do it in the public eye.
Mr. Loomis, what are you cheering Mss. Montgomery for? How is she any different from the rest of the BOS?
UN F&*&^&*((*&N BELIEVEABLE!!!!!!!
Realist, READ MY QUOTE from cellarrat "Understand something here: COLAs and step increases are part of the County employee contract." the contracts are union negotiatied..so where are COLA and step increase cuts?
Everyone is taking pay cuts, private, state, federal, city, county and now the BOS approves a wage increase. What kills me there is another article talking about long lines because of 30 less court employees and then how the county is going to have to make cuts due to a lower budget. How does a wage increase make sense in light of this?????
A little perspective... 5% pay increase on a $100,000 salary is $5,000 or approximately $420/month. Double that for $200,000. For PC CEO, his 5% raise equates to approximately $1K per month! Talk about disproportionate. He already makes more than he really needs to exist, so what gives? I'm lucky to see $50 on any of my step raises! That will fill my car twice!
As for the courts, blame it on the former CEO that approved for himself 62% in raises in 7 years. He was supposed to get only 5, 2% raises. He ended up embezzeling about $400K over the 7 years... completely unnoticed??!!! How many court salaries could that have paid to keep these clerks employes? (maybe a dozen) And where is this embezzeler? Why are we not hearing about prosecution events? What about his staff that he blessed with over-bloated salaries? Why are they not being laid off? Their salaries would cover at least 2-3 clerks each!
It disgusts me to see what is happening to this world. Have we all lost perspective? morals? The sense of justice and equality are now dead and burried.
Cellarrat: Your "if" analogy of this situation is just that. The reality is that the economy IS NOT hot and it is plain irresponsible for those who you claim "chose a more stable working environment" to let that be your excuse. You may have forgotten that in doing so also you also chose to bear not only responsiblity to the public but a moral obligaton to adjust with the economy and our current situation, even if it means ONLY taking home your measly $100k instead of $105k. (It must be so hard, I know) Of course people didn't complain about government workers' salaries five years ago, people were still able to live in their homes and keep their ****ing cars then! How can you even begin to compare NOW with THEN...it makes no sense at all. You know what? I hope your little pat on the back gives you some reassurance that your lifestyle is entitled "merit" in the form of everyone else's money and that you are doing as good a job as you tout, or else you should feel ashamed of yourself.
It is my understanding that Peer Court is part of the court budget which is not on the county budget system as of around two years ago the courts went to the state. The court layoffs were also not part of the county budget for the same reasons. Nor are the schools.
I don't agree with everything but generally I think the BOS is doing a decent job so far. They had the foresight to create a rainy day fund to work with and have used it. They have used attrition and the removal of extra help to eliminate 180 staff positions. They implemented furloughs for the rank and file and management. There were a few layoffs. They are moving the process more into the open. Because of the state raiding their coffers I would expect things to be a bit uglier for the next years budget which they should be starting on pretty soon. Many counties around us are far worse off. Your county taxes haven't gone up a nickel. With Prop 13 can they even do it without a putting it on the ballot? To be fair some fees did go up. The AJ does very weak reporting with very little information that details why things are done or how we measure up to other counties. Counties around us are raising fees across the board, reducing services and laying off heavily. Is there need for improvement? Yep there always is but on balance it ain't that bad.
Outrageous! Although I actually agree with auburnite on a few of his points I hardly believe he's a taxpayer. Maybe a tax taker.
Lets get this cat out of the bag.......thousands of layoffs and my life has not changed...my services have not changed...nothing has changed. What has changed is that the government seems to be able to do the job with less people...so they always could have. No one is watching anything when it comes to inside departmental salaries anywhere....and yes that is how someone got away with 400k. This has been and will continue to happen at all levels of government until we change the laws and demand all salaries be approved by only "the voters" they work for. If I only I had a couple buddies in the right places...I would be laughing all the way to the bank too! Bloated budgets are created on purpose not out of any kind of need..............
Anyone feeding off of the government trough DEFINITELY should NOT be getting a pay raise in these economic times...let's take them down to the river and waterboard them!!!!
A couple of thoughts. Merit increase is not a cola. Cola's are ususally a year behind on when the increase in cost of living occured. Furlouged employees still get merit increases if eligible. Those not eligible may have topped out. Government employees don't typically receive bonuses like the private sector can. Additonally, county managers are also on furlough.
Why stop now! Next election we will all vote the same poeple back in to office again. The little guys get layoff and the big shoot pig out on our tax money.
I voted for Jennifer but she caved. She is a good old girl!
I think its sick the journal almost spined this. "Placer County Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery is asking questions about wage-increase and hiring policies" ......??? It was a unanimous vote 5-0. I she objected then she should have objected. Thats the problem with govornment, if you don't fold with the majority then the majority won't fold for you. Stand up and grow some.......GUTS.
I believe that that Placer County governed by Charter. Anyone ever read it? Or understand how it works?
Just like the City of Roseville, Looks Like Robinson may be planning a large raise for himself in 2011
Ca04 "They are moving the process more into the open." Unwillingly it seems.
Hey ChuxxR
Sure because its never been done that way before having those types of raises were on the consent agenda for a long time. Its not a sinister plot they were considered standard operating procedure to approve and putting them on the consent agenda simply saves meeting time for other agenda items. I actually had a chance to talk with my supe about it last month and voiced my opinion. What the BOS has to realize is that business as usual is no longer OK in the current pitch fork and torch environment. They will need to be more transparent and educate constituents as to why they do what they are doing and seek feedback as to whether standard operating procedure meets well with constituent expectations. Its going to be difficult as most constituents don't have the time to attend BOS meetings, MAC meetings or coffee talks. Trust me if you get all your information from the AJ you aren't getting enough to know what is going on. No person or process is perfect from my experience there are always gaps that need to be addressed. I would rather get myself educated and give constructive feedback than getting angry on my computer which gets me no where.
2.16.030 Compensation.
The salary of the county executive shall be established annually by the board by resolution. The county executive is a county officer. The salary shall be paid biweekly by the auditor in the same manner as the salaries of other county employees are paid. The county executive is granted and is entitled to all of the benefits conferred upon county employees relating to sick leave, vacation, mileage and travel expenses and holidays and by the County Employees Retirement Act. (Prior code § 2.310)
I don't see anything that requires a salary increase. Even if it did what would be wrong with that employee refusing the raise. Symbolic but appreciated.
Obewan, Well, how nice for you that nothing has changed. My daughter works for the State of California, making a whopping $30,000 a year. And now she has 3 furlough days a month. Not even earning enough to rent an apartment, make a car payment and eat. I can assure you she works hard and is NOT "laughing all the way to the bank". At least she's doing her part to balance the budget while she looks for a new job.
Reading the Placer County Charter, which governs how the County manages business, is enlightening. I readit but was unable to find who is on the Charter Commission. I realize that voting out the BOS is one remedy but there must be something that can be done to prevent the same type of administration getting in power again except posting blogs which apparently the BOS choose to ignore. Does anyone know if the citizens of Placer County can put a referendum on the ballot that would change some of the policies currently in practice?
We certainly are in a new era and the answers surely aren't black and white (even though our President seems to think so). The issue seems simple, the answer much more complex. Government (i.e. public sector employment and compensation) has been on the rise. If it was true that public jobs traded lower compensation for stability it’s no longer the case. Further, we have created so many government sponsored programs that much of our society is dependant on the government for their well being. At the same time a large percentage of small businesses and private sector employees have seen their businesses and investments take a big hit. In an ordinary cycle they would expect to refocus and rebound. But what’s different now – maybe nothing – but it’s sure not something most of us have seen in our life time. So all this being said – my question is simple – how can a dwindling number of tax payers with decreasing income support a larger socialist Government? I always expected the “new world order” would degrade the quality of life for middle America – is it happening now? And most important, is this what we want (public or private sector)?
Most Placer County Supervisors worked hard to get elected. They were motivated to seek public office because they wanted Placer County to be a good place to work and live. The overwhelming majority of county supervisors I have seen in the past 40 years have demonstrated leadership and integrity and have made positive contributions to local government. Any qualified citizen can run for public office...including the whiners I see here who blame county government for the current economic recession. About county employees: many of the furloughed employees are doing their best to get the same amount of work done but now with fewer hours.
Y_S and repauburnite. What good would have come out of her no vote? She did bring the "problem" into the open. The way this BOS operates if she would have voted no, not only it would have not made any difference they would never back any of her ideas or projects. When you are in a corrupt environment sometimes you have to dirty your hands a bit in order to survive and be able to make things happen that will benefit your constituents.
Kranz is gone, soon the others will follow.
Oracle, please don't compare the average rank and file County worker with the majority of the BOS or Tom Miller, Rich Colwell and the rest of the good ole boys and girls club. Those only care about padding their retirement so they can live life fat off the hog when they retire, just as they do now.
The Supes only make $30,000.00 a year but their perks are many and bring the compensation package well above the salary figure, not to mention any other possible perks they may receive during or after their tenure. I have known many past and present members of the BOS and not all have been squeaky clean as claimed although the farther back you go the cleaner it was..
CA04 voter,
Peer Court Budget
$80,000 from the county
$100,000.00 from the court
Rumor has it that Mendes is in England or Spain
Dirtying the hands soon becomes a part of the job. If you don't start you won't get caught up in the jugernaut that controls the BOS.
There has been a little slease associated with the BOS as far back as I can remeber and that goes back to John Boyington, it was always interesting how well the roads were kept around his property. Laws were put in because of all the property splits that the BOS looked the other way and approved even in the 40's and 50's.
JonGreen
Didn't know about the 80K county contribution. Thanks for the correction.
JonGreen
Since you are more up on this than I.
Did Placer pull their 80K from the pot or did the state yank their 100K?
Was it Placer County or states call to drop the program?
bubbagrump, Rich Colwell's job won't be eliminated until he retires. It was created to pacify him for not getting the CEO position, that job or title didn't exist prior to his incessant crying. The previous CEO had one assistant which wasn't paid anywhere near what Colwell gets. Tom Miller not only has Colwell to shine his boots but he also has two more besides him, possibly three. Yes, we are getting ripped off, however, the County employees are the ones really getting the shaft. At this time a lot of high paying positions are being created in the County to reward those that follow the leaders. Some of these characters follow their leaders so close that a sudden stop will cause the followers heads to go in the the leader's posterior. Fortunately there are paramedics close by to extricate the followers should that happen.
Place County, a dirty little County nestled in the beautiful Sierra foothills.
CAO4,
The local court pulled the money because of the severe hardship probably caused by Mendes. Even after pulling the 100k they still had to lay off 32 employees. Probation still has the 80k in their budget for Peer Court. We just can't run the program for less than 180k. This 180k pays for 6 part time employees whose average pay is $12.00 per hour. Rent, Printing, Telephone, Office Supplies, the Coordinator at $35,000.00 per year, Etc. By the way the Coordinator has a masters in counseling and could earn a lot more if she wasn't completely dedicated to the success of the Placer County Peer Court program. The Peer Court Program still has the support of the local judges who recognize the power of the program to reduce juvenile crime and provide a sorely lacking civic education.
Jon
Thanks, first that I had heard of Peer Court was a month or so ago when it was mentioned over coffee by a supporter of the program so I am a bit short on details
Obewan, Well, how nice for you that nothing has changed. My daughter works for the State of California, making a whopping $30,000 a year. And now she has 3 furlough days a month. Not even earning enough to rent an apartment, make a car payment and eat. I can assure you she works hard and is NOT "laughing all the way to the bank". At least she's doing her part to balance the budget while she looks for a new job.
Salamander....I was not picking on anyone in particular....I was picking on everyone and every department. Chances are your daughter should not even have a job with the state....and that her job was created out of the need to spend money...what did I say...the need to just spend money and expand current budgets.......should I repeat this for you. The State budget was 58 billion 1998 and 106 billion 2008. Did your income go up and or did your daughters income go up 82% in ten years..the states did... and they spent it everywhere as fast as they could? Many many jobs were created that should have never been created and this was duplicated throughout all departments....no one has been watching anyone......in any government positions.
Celarrat is correct, however, the County Board of Supervisors will be voting on implementation of a contract on September 8th that will cut Sheriff's Deputies pay by 11-1/2%. Public safety workers are not immune to cut backs and furloughs as most in the private sector would like to think. While this is going on, Placer County CEO,Tom Miller and the Board of Supervisors have approved 10% pay increases for themselves and their staff. This absolute "B.S." Where does it stop. Can someone answer this. Is ther a way to recall Miller and the BOS or do we wait until each BOS is up for re-election and campaign against them?