5% raise for city attorney on S. Tahoe council agenda
By Kathryn Reed
South Lake Tahoe City Attorney Patrick Enright is scheduled to get a raise Tuesday before the council even evaluates him.
The 5 percent raise, which brings his salary from $146,740 a year to $154,077, is on the consent agenda. It’s not until after the regular meeting that in closed session the council is scheduled to discuss his annual evaluation. With furloughs, which go away Oct. 1, Enright would make $133,175 for the next three months.
Pat Enright
He was hired in June 2009 at a rate of $128,000 a year. At that time he signed a two-year contract. The current salary range for the city attorney position is $133,092 to $169,860.
Enright’s severance pay would be six months.
The council has set it up so he is on a five-year step like the rest of the employees. (All other city employees get a 5 percent raise based on the step system until they top out at step five.) However, as an at-will employee, the steps are not automatic for Enright. That is why the council must vote on the increase. The proposed increase would bring him to step four.
The council could treat this position like the city manager, which is not on a step basis. Raises are based on whatever the council would want to give that person.
On top of the raise, in the package is a $400/month car allowance, and extension of his contract through 2013.
The other item before the council is having Enright pay the same percentage into PERS other city employees pay, if they agree to do so in the future. Right now the city pays his 8 percent contribution.
The City Council meets June 21 at 9am at Lake Tahoe Airport. Here is the City Council agenda.
Isn’t that great, the City is laying off people and cutting the retirees benefit package and talking about putting Employee salaries up to a vote of the people on the next ballet while they give the top people a 5% raise. WOW.
Good move O’Rouke
Not to mention this inadequate employee was one of the main reasons for the debacle at Lakeview Commons costing us the citizens more than what he’s paid. He should have been fired a year ago in my opinion.
Way too generous given current market conditions and the economy. Lawyers are generally searching for work. Nine months severance is out of line.
What is it that this employee has contributed to deserve such an increase in pay and benefits. A lot of good city employees who actually earned their keep got the axe. 9 mos. severance pay,are you kidding? He’s probably hoping he gets let go.
According to the city web site there are 29 jobs that pay close to or more than $100,000.00 a year. Tony O’Rouke makes $8000.00 less than the city manager of Roseville a larger city compaired to South Lake Tahoe. Maybe the “upper” staff needs to get wage real, shall we vote now…..
As always, the City is claiming desperate financial times while layoffs & attacking existing retiree benefits continue but giving a “management” level employee a payraise & whopping future severance package! Just like the past when employees gave up pay raises to help balance the budget but then watched the Council give the City Manager, City Attorney & Dept heads big raises. Enough is enough.
In these times, you would think one would be happy to have such a well paying job, and not need a raise, but I’m guessing it was in his contract.
A raise in these times would be extremely shameless, especially in light of his work on the Lakeview Commons fiasco! But our City Govt. sure is used to being shameless!! Just remember all the examples that LTN is has brought up (Thank You LTN for finally bringing some reporting to this town!) the next time the City says it’s broke and has no money for such basic things as roads!
Unfrigginbelievable!
You’ve got to be kidding me. The upper management keep combining jobs, giving themselves raises yet cutting programs and services. If the money is just sitting there why not put it to some new equipment or keep some programs for the kids. The self-serving upper egotiscal managers at the city need pay cuts. Gotta repeat Jeremy’s quote: “Unfrigginbelievable!”
They’ll say it’s because the Attorney’s office has a new subordinate, but then the HR Manager should have her increase removed because her salary was increased when this subordinate was moved to that division. Check it out, it’s verifiable.
Patrick Enright’s severance pay has been corrected in the story to reflect he would receive six-month’s of pay if terminated.
Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher
Holy craaaap. End the drama-DISSOLVE THE CITY.