Administrative
Report
N.3., File # 24-1418 Meeting Date: 8/20/2024
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: DIANE STRICKFADEN, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING CONSIDERATION OF A SALARY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE ELECTED CITY ATTORNEY POSITION IN ADVANCE OF THE MARCH 2025 MUNICIPAL ELECTION
RECEIVE AND FILE THE LETTER PROVIDED BY THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMISSION
REGARDING THE SALARY FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY POSITION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2005, the City Council adopted Resolution CC-0505-56 to establish a process for consideration of future pay and/or benefit adjustments for elected officials. The Resolution directed the Budget and Finance Commission to make recommendations to the City Council regarding elected official pay and possible adjustments 30 days in advance of the filing period for any regular municipal election. The pay, if changed, is then set by ordinance for the subsequent four-year term of office.
The next regular municipal election is scheduled to occur in March 2025, with four-year terms beginning in April of 2025 for the Mayor, three City Councilmember positions, and the City Attorney position. The nomination period for the 2025 election will open on November 12, 2024.
The City Council last gave direction regarding the salaries for the Mayor and City Council positions in 2022. Adjustments were made for the Council District 3 and District 5 seats that recently took effect in April 2023. Adjustments for the Mayor position, and the City Council District(s) 1, 2 and 4 seats, are scheduled to take effect in April 2025.
The City Attorney’s salary has not been adjusted since 2020. It was last modified by the City Council in 2016 via adoption of Ordinance No. O3163-16. This Ordinance set forth salary increases of 2% in April 2018; 1.5% in April 2019; and 2.5% in April 2020. The salary was reviewed again by the City Council in September 2020. The City Council decided at that time to make no adjustment to the pay over the April 2021 to April 2025 term.
BACKGROUND
Under the City Charter, the salary for elected officials must be set by ordinance at least 30 days prior to the nomination period for a new four-year term. It cannot be increased or decreased from that point until the completion of the subsequent four-year term. The City Council previously directed the Budget and Finance Commission to make recommendations regarding elected official pay adjustments in advance of the filing period for a regular election.
The City Attorney’s salary was last set in 2016 via Ordinance No. O3163-16. This Ordinance set
N.3., File # 24-1418 Meeting Date: 8/20/2024
The City Attorney’s salary was last set in 2016 via Ordinance No. O3163-16. This Ordinance set forth salary increases of 2% in April 2018; 1.5% in April 2019; and 2.5% in April 2020. There have been no increases or adjustments to the City Attorney’s salary in over four years, or since April of 2020.
Per the Ordinance, the City Attorney position receives the same benefits as the Management/Confidential Unit but does not automatically receive corresponding salary increases.
Since 2020, the Management/Confidential Unit (Unit) has received a total of 8% in cost-of-living adjustments. The Unit received 1% in 2022; 2% in 2023 and 5% in 2024. These increases have caused the City Attorney position to “fall behind” by 8%, relative to the Management/Confidential cost -of-living adjustments.
To help the City Council with consideration of this matter, staff in the Human Resources Department conducted a brief salary survey using comparable cities. Please note that there are challenges with appropriately comparing the Redondo Beach City Attorney position to City Attorneys in other cities.
There are very few cities that have an elected City Attorney that is responsible for both civil and prosecutorial services. In fact, the cities selected below are considered the most comparable in Los Angeles County for the City Attorney position, due to their relative size, the fact that they are charter cities, and because all five offices oversee both civil matters and prosecution. Even among these similar cities though, Redondo Beach is the only organization with an elected City Attorney.
In 2015, the last time this survey was conducted, the Redondo Beach City Attorney was at the median of the survey. Updated survey results indicate the position is now currently below the median (ranking four out of five) for the five surveyed agencies as indicated below:
City Title Annual Salary in 2024
Santa Monica City Attorney $380,004
Culver City City Attorney $315,009
Inglewood (median) City Attorney $280,798
Redondo Beach City Attorney $274,452
Torrance City Attorney $255,058
On August 8, 2024, the Budget and Finance Commission (Commission) reviewed the information presented above and considered a potential salary adjustment for the City Attorney position. During the meeting, the Commission stated that they didn’t feel like they had enough information to make a fully informed recommendation. At the conclusion of the meeting, they voted not to recommend adjustments to the salary, and requested that a letter be attached to the report, and forwarded to the City Council, explaining their position. During the discussion they indicated information from additional cities, such as San Francisco, Long Beach and San Diego, would assist in helping make a recommendation. While these cities are not traditionally considered true market comparisons for Redondo Beach, staff, following the Commission discussion, conducted a survey of these additional City Attorney positions and included them in the comparative chart below. The addition of these cities created a new median salary of $277,625 per year, which remains slightly above the City Attorney salary in Redondo Beach.
City Title Oversees
Civil Matters
& Prosecution
Elected Annual Salary in 2024
Long Beach City
Attorney
No Yes $169,869
N.3., File # 24-1418 Meeting Date: 8/20/2024
City Title Oversees
Civil Matters
& Prosecution
Elected Annual Salary in 2024
Long Beach City
Attorney
(Civil)
No Yes $169,869
San Diego City
Attorney
Yes Yes $238,479*
Torrance City
Attorney
Yes No $255,058
Redondo Beach City
Attorney
Yes Yes $274,452
Inglewood City
Attorney
Yes No $280,798
Culver City City
Attorney
Yes No $315,009
San Francisco City
Attorney
No Yes $316,758
Santa Monica City
Attorney
Yes No $380,004
*The San Diego City Charter ties its City Attorney salary to that of a CA Superior Court Judge As noted, City Charter section 10.1 requires that any changes to elected official salaries “shall not be increased or diminished as to any such officer, after his/her election and during his/her term of office, nor within thirty days prior to the date when nomination papers for the position may be filed.” Therefore, an ordinance must be adopted no later than October 12, 2024, which fits the timeline of being at least 30 days ahead of the November 12th nomination period for the new four-year term. As such, any salary adjustment should be made via an ordinance first reading in September, with the second reading and adoption no later than the first Council meeting in October.
If the City Council chooses not to adjust the salary at this time, no further action is required, as the existing salary ordinance (Ordinance 2016-3163-13) will remain in effect.
If the City Council desires to modify the salary of the City Attorney position, one option is to remain consistent with the 8% that has been provided to the Management and Confidential unit since 2020, so that the position keeps up with recent changes in cost-of-living. Attached, for reference, are the last two salary ordinances that adjusted the City Attorney salary. If directed by Council, staff will return with a draft ordinance for first reading at the September 3, 2024 Council meeting.
COORDINATION
The Human Resources Department prepared this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
A 1% salary increase would have a fiscal impact of approximately $3,044 per year, which includes an
N.3., File # 24-1418 Meeting Date: 8/20/2024
increase to base salary along with the commensurate impacts to the position’s pension and benefits.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· City Charter Section 10.1
· Reso - No. 2005-0505-056, May 31, 2005
· Ord - No. 2012-3089-12, July 3, 2012
· Ord - No. 2016-3163-16, October 11, 2016
· Administrative Report - Budget and Finance Commission Report · Budget and Finance Commission Letter, August 8, 2024