HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01171989 - 2.4 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
S ` _ Contra
FROM: Phil Batchelor
Costa
County Administrator _ °z Count
yDATE: �Osr' `Tv
January 12, 1989 q ��U_�
SUBJECT: Consideration of Pay Adjustment for Members
of the Board of Supervisors
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider what action to take based on the following information
provided by the County Administrator.
BACKGROUND:
Introduction:
In his capacity as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors during
1988 , Supervisor Schroder asked the County Administrator to
review the adequacy of the current salary for members of the
Board of Supervisors and file a report with the Board outlining a
variety of factors for further consideration by the Board.
An extensive analysis has been done by the Personnel Department
and County Administrator ' s Office to compare the current salary
of members of the Board of Supervisors with boards of supervisors
in other urban counties. A copy of the results of that survey is
attached. A comparison was also made with the salary of
department heads who are ultimately supervised by the Board of
Supervisors and with classifications paid comparable salaries in
Contra Costa County. We have also included reference to proposed
increases in salaries by other counties and the federal
government.
Comparison with Other Urban Counties:
Members of the Board of Supervisors are currently paid
an annual salary of $38, 124 ( $3177 monthly) .
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
e
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATUREM:
:
ACTION OF BOARD ON January 17, 1989 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Following discussion, the Board ACCEPTED the above referenced
report from the County Administrator and REFERRED the matter to the
Chair and County Administrator for further review and report to the
Board on February 28 , 1989 .
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT �— ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: County Administrator ATTESTED — / 7• /
Audi tor-Control 1 er PHIL ATCHELOR, ERK OF THE BOARD OF
Count/ Counsel SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Board Members
BY ,J DEPUTY
M382 (10/88)
Page 2
The salary paid to the Board of Supervisors currently
ranks 15th among California counties, despite the fact
that Contra Costa County is the 9th largest county in
terms of population.
Six counties which have a smaller population than
Contra Costa County pay their Board of Supervisors a
higher salary than does Contra Costa County, as
follows:
COUNTY RANK BY POPULATION SALARY
San Mateo 11 $61,927*
Ventura 12 $44,436
Kern 14 $52 ,338
San Joaquin 15 $38 , 652
Sonoma 16 $42, 576
Monterey 18 $44,184
*San Mateo County recently increased
the salary .for members of the Board
of Supervisor by 250, effective
February 1 , 1989 to this level.
Comparison with Other Benchmark Positions:
As is indicated in the attachment to this report, six counties of
the 20 with the highest salaries for members of the board of
supervisors have chosen to tie the salary of members of the board
of supervisors to that of superior or municipal court judge in
some manner (Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Diego, San Mateo,
Riverside, Sonoma) . For comparison purposes, Contra Costa
County' s Board Members ' salaries equal 450 of a Superior Court
Judge ' s salary and 49% of a Municipal Court Judge' s salary.
Another basis of comparison is to look at the salary paid to
department heads in this County, since the salary of department
heads reflects the cost of living in this County. Members of
the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors currently receive a
salary which represents 52% of the average salary paid to county
department heads in this County; department heads who are
ultimately responsible to the Board of Supervisors for the
management of county government.
Comparison with Similarly Paid County Classifications:
Members of the Board of Supervisors are paid equal to or .less
than the following county classifications:
COUNTY CLASSIFICATION SALARY (MONTHLY)
Steamfitter $3720
Court Reporter $3636
Sheriff ' s Sergeant $3546
Auditor III $3490
Building Inspector II $3353
Electrician $3270
Page 3
Senior Firefighter $3254
Public Works Maintenance $3241
Specialist
Member, Board of Supervisors $3177
There appears to be sharp contrast in the level of responsibility
of a member of the Board of Supervisors compared to these
. classifications.
Pending Adjustments for:Other Elected Officials.:
A number of other elected bodies either have recently increased
their salary or have substantial salary increases under
consideration at this time. Among these are the following:
o The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has recently
increased their salary by 250.
o The Alameda County Board of Supervisors recently
proposed a salary increase of 60+0. Final action on
this proposal is apparently being held up at this time.
o Congress is also currently debating an increase of 500
in the salary for United States Senators and Members of
the House of Representatives as well as senior
officials in the Administration.
Increase in Level of Activity of Board Members:
When Contra Costa County was a smaller and more rural. co.unty, the
role of members of the Board of Supervisors was correspondingly
easier and demanded little time commitment beyond the . Tuesday
Board meetings. Most members of the Board of Supervisors held
full-time or nearly full-time jobs apart from their county
responsibilities. Since the current members of the Board of
Supervisors have been on the Board, Contra Costa County has
become a far more complex community. Many of the transportation,
environmental and human services issues which now demand major
time commitments from Board Members did not exist or were not
major concerns for the county fifteen or twenty years ago.
Recognition needs to be given to the fact that Board Members now
devote far . more than the traditional 40 hours a week to their
responsibilities as County Supervisors. It is not at all unusual
for Board Members to commit 12 or more hours. a day six or seven
days a 'week to the job of being a County Supervisor.. In fact, it
is not uncommon for Board Members .to put in 16-hour days.
JANUARY 1989
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
SALARY SURVEY
RANK BY SALARY AMOUNT
COUNTY POPULATION EFFECTIVE MONTH ANNUAL NOTES
1. Los Angeles 1 1/1/88 $ 7064 $84,765 Parity with Superior
Court Judge
2. Orange 3 12/16/88 $5490 $65,874 No formula-adjusted
with other officials
3. Santa Clara 4 1/1/88 $5161 $61,927 Formula = 80% of
Muni Court Judge
4. San Diego 2. 1/1/88 $5161 $61,927 Formula = 80% of
Muni Court Judge
5. San Mateo 11 2/1/89 $5161 $61,927 Formula = 80% of
Muni Court Judge
6. San Bernardino 6 12/1/88 $4511 $54,129 Charter requires links
to prevailing practice
7. Kern 14 1/1/89 $4362 $52,338 Formula - CPI from
Los Angeles area
8. Riverside 8 1/1/89 $4224 $50,685 Formula = 60% of
Superior Court Judge
9. Ventura 12 12/25/88 $3703 $44,436 No formula- adjusted
with other officials
10. Monterey 18 7/1/88 $3682 $44,184 No formula - adjusted
with other officials
11. Sonoma 16 1/1/88 $3548 $42,576 Formula = 50% of
Muni Court Judge
12. Sacramento 7 1/1/89 $3396 $40,752 No formula - adjusted
with other officials
13. Alameda 5 1/1/89 $3328 $39,936 No formula - adjusted
with other officials
14. San Joaquin 15 1/2/89 $3221 $38,652 No formula - adjusted
with other officials
15. *Contra Costa 10 2/14/88 $3177 $38,124 No formula - adjusted
- by Ordinance No. 87-101
16. Marin 22 7/26/88 $2896.40 $34,757 Formula = linked to Bay
Area C.P.I.
17. Fresno 13 1/2/89 $2626 $31,513 Formula = linked with
other officials to CPI
18. Solano 21 5/8/88 $2523 $30,281 No formula - adjusted
with other officials
19. Napa 34 9/17/88 $2167 $26,004 No formula - adjusted
with other officials
20. San Francisco 9 11/82 $1994 $23,924 Set by Charter
* Contra Costa salary ranks No. 9 of 10 top Counties by population. Santa Clara, San
Diego and San Mateo are tied at No. 3.