Pleasanton council approves successive raises for city manager

The Pleasanton City Council unanimously agreed to amend the city manager’s employment contract to give him a 6.25% salary increase this year and another raise at the same rate early next year.

According to the staff report for the Oct. 17 council meeting, City Manager Gerry Beaudin’s monthly salary for the rest of this year will be raised from $24,500 to $26,031. Then, starting on Feb. 1, 2024, Beaudin’s monthly salary will go up again to $27,658, which translates to him making a yearly salary of $331,896.

The amendment was approved by the council as part of its consent calendar — which are items that are routine in nature and are typically approved by a single vote without much discussion — after several discussions on Beaudin’s performance evaluation were conducted over the past few months.

“At its special meetings on Aug. 15, Sept. 19, and Oct. 9, 2023, the City Council considered Mr. Beaudin’s accomplishments as the city’s chief executive, noting completion of priority projects, management of hundreds of staff, hiring new department heads, facilitating many capital improvement projects, smooth delivery of day-to-day services and superior operations of the city,” the staff report stated.

The report further stated that Beaudin’s first raise puts the city manager at 8.4% below the mean salary of 16 other comparable cities, according to survey data from July. After his raise in February, he will be placed at 1.52% below the mean of that same survey.

“This is appropriate considering his performance and in the context of the market for city managers, compensation for city managers within the city’s comparison agencies and salary compaction within the organization,” according to the staff report.

In addition to his compensation increase, Beaudin’s contract was also updated in regards to his deferred compensation, which is an addition to an employee’s regular compensation that is set aside to be paid at a later date. The city will now contribute 3% annually to his deferred compensation plan starting in January.

Other adjustments to his contract include vacation leave, which he will accrue at a rate of 25 days per year; vehicle provisions where he will select either a monthly car allowance of $550 or a vehicle furnished by the city; and professional development perks where the city will pay for him to go to professional city and county management conferences.

Another amendment to Beaudin’s contract was to modernize its termination clause, which has to do with what happens if Beaudin or the city decide to part ways.

According to the staff report, if either decides to terminate the contract, Beaudin will “not be removed during the 90-day period preceding or following any city election for membership on the City Council, or during the 90-day period following any change in membership of the City Council, except upon four-fifths vote of the City Council.”

In other business on the Oct. 17 consent calendar, the council approved a 4.25% pay schedule increase for management and confidential employees.

Among the dozens of positions included in that job category are Pleasanton Police Chief David Swing, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department Chief Joe Testa and heads of the different city departments.

According to the staff report, the financial impact of the increase to the city would be approximately $665,000 for fiscal year 2023-24. Because the LPFD expenses are shared by both cities, approximately $27,000 of the annual cost will be paid by the city of Livermore as part of the approved cost sharing formula.

“Sufficient funds are set aside in the budget to cover the recommended increase,” according to the staff report.