April 5, 2022
City Attorney's Office
DATE: April 5, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
David Aleshire, Interim City Attorney
Subject:
Approval of City Manager Agreement
FINANCIAL IMPACT: This action has an annual financial impact of approximately $443,596 based on total compensation.
All costs are included in the City Manager’s office budget.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
Ms. Curl was previously appointed as Interim City
Manager on November 23, 2021.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
This item involves consideration of approving an
employment contract with Shasa Curl as Richmond’s City
Manager. The proposed agreement sets forth the terms
of employment with Ms. Curl, with an effective date of
April 6, 2022.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE an employment agreement with Shasa Curl
as Richmond City Manager, providing for a three-year
term commencing April 6, 2022, at an initial base salary of $295,000 annually (approximately $443,596 total
compensation) – City Attorney’s Office (Dave Aleshire
510-620-6509).
DISCUSSION:
Shasa Curl has served as the City’s Interim City Manager since November 23, 2021.
Based on her performance as Interim City Manager and upon the direction given by a AGENDA
REPORT
April 5, 2022
subcommittee approved by the Council regarding the City Manager appointment, contract terms were negotiated with Ms. Curl to become Richmond’s permanent City Manager.
Ms. Curl began her career in the City of Richmond in 2003, where she served in the Richmond Community Redevelopment Agency. Prior to Richmond, she worked at the San Jose Redevelopment Agency. Since 2011, Ms. Curl has held various leadership roles in the Richmond City Manager’s Office, including Deputy City Manager, Economic Development, Community & Economic Development Director, and Administrative Chief.
In addition, Ms. Curl serves as a member of the Richmond Promise Board, and previously served on the Nurturing Independence Through Artistic Expression (NIAD) Board.
Ms. Curl has extensive experience in public administration, environmental and health equity, as well as community and economic development. With support and policy guidance from the Richmond City Council, Ms. Curl’s career achievements include leading the successful transition of the Richmond Housing Authority’s (RHA) Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program to the Housing Authority of Contra Costa County; working collaboratively with Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) to launch the Richmond/San Francisco Ferry Service; leading the successful launch of the Richmond Rent Program; launching the $35 million Richmond Promise Scholarship and College Success Program; and managing the Richmond Civic Center Renovation project.
Ms. Curl holds a Master of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Contract Terms
California Government Code section 54953(c)(3) requires an oral report in an open meeting summarizing the proposed final action on salaries, salary schedules, or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits of a City Manager. Accordingly, the significant terms of Ms. Curl’s proposed employment agreement are outlined below and will be orally summarized at the April 5, 2022 City Council meeting:
Term: 3 years commencing on April 6, 2022 to April 5, 2025.
Annual Salary: Initially $295,000.
Base Salary Increases:
Effective 1/1/23 – Ms. Curl will receive the greater of i) 5.0% or ii) the 12- month percentage change for the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the San Francisco Area as measured in October of the prior year;
Effective 1/1/24 – Ms. Curl will receive the greater of i) 4.0% or ii) the 12- month percentage change for the CPI-U for the San Francisco Area as measured in October of the prior year; and
April 5, 2022
Effective 1/1/25 – Ms. Curl will receive the greater of i) 4.0% or ii) the 12- month percentage change for the CPI-U for the San Francisco Area as measured in October of the prior year.
Employment Status: The City Manager position is at-will.
Severance: For termination without cause, Ms. Curl would receive 6 months of severance pay, plus an additional month for each full year she works as City Manager, up to a maximum of 12 months severance. However, pursuant to state law, any severance pay could not exceed the number of months left on the unexpired term of the employment agreement. Severance pay would be in exchange for a general release.
Automobile Allowance: $500 per month.
Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance: The City would pay the premiums for medical, vision, and dental insurance at a level that is equal to the highest benefit schedule provided to any group of exempt City management employees.
Life Insurance: The City would pay premiums for life insurance coverage for Ms.
Curl at a level that is equal to two times salary.
Retirement Benefits (CalPERS): Ms. Curl would continue to be enrolled in CalPERS. She is responsible for the full employee contribution and the City would pay the full employer contribution.
Vacation Leave: Ms. Curl would accrue vacation leave at a rate equal to the highest benefit schedule provided to exempt City management employees with 30 or more years of City service (equal to 30 working days). She will have the option to sell back/ cash out 15 work days of accumulated vacation time each calendar year.
Sick Leave: Ms. Curl would accrue sick leave on an annual basis at a rate equal to the highest benefit schedule provided to exempt City management employees (equal to 1 day per month).
Deferred Compensation and FSA Contributions: The City would contribute $20,500 annually to a deferred compensation plan. It would also contribute annually: i) $2,850 to Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Health Care and ii) $5,000 to FSA Dependent Care for Ms. Curl.
Miscellaneous Benefits: Ms. Curl would generally receive other benefits at a level that is equal to the highest benefit schedule provided to any group of exempt City management employees.
Total compensation for Ms. Curl, including base salary and dollar-cost benefits is approximately $443,596 annually, including:
Compensation Components Amount
Base Salary $ 295,000
Car Allowance $ 6,000
Benefit Package (medical, dental, vision, etc.) $ 35,892
April 5, 2022
CalPERS (Normal Cost +Unfunded Liability) $ 66,255
Other Post-Employment Benefits $ 12,099
Deferred Compensation $ 20,500
FSA Health and Dependent Care Account $ 7,850
Total Estimated Annual Compensation $ 443,596
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – City of Richmond- City Manager Employment Agreement