Title
Chief Administrative Office and Department of Human Resources recommending the Board receive an update from staff and provide direction to staff regarding the Board of Supervisors total compensation as directed at the April 6, 2021, Board meeting.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Per County Charter section 204, compensation for the Board of Supervisors shall be fixed by Ordinance. Members of the Board of Supervisors have received the same monthly salary of $6,406.40 since January 6, 2007. per County Ordinance section 2.06.020. Based on current market data, the total compensation provided to members of the Board of Supervisors is approximately 13.98% behind the median.
At the April 6, 2021 Board meeting, the Board directed staff to complete an analysis of the total compensation paid to each Member of the Board of Supervisors by potentially linking the salaries to Superior Court Judges and return to the Board for further direction. After completing the analysis, staff has the following two options for consideration by the Board:
1) Human Resources can set Board Member salaries consistent with the County's current compensation philosophy, increase total compensation for all employees to 5% (+/-1%) behind the median of the market. This would result in a one-time increase of approximately 8.98% . If approved, this increase would cost approximately $45,000 in Net County Cost. The Board could also choose to set their salary at a different percentage below the median.
2) The Board can choose to receive the same annual equity increase consistent with that of the Superior Court Judges. Every fiscal year, the salary for Superior Court Judges are reviewed in accordance with Government Code Section 68203 which states "On July 1st.....the salary of each justice and judge shall be increased by the amount that is produced by multiplying the then current salary of each justice or judge by the average percentage increase for the current fiscal year for California state employees." This fiscal year (2021-2022), the equity increase is 4.3%, which would result in a Net County Cost increase totaling approximately $22,000. The Board should also provide direction to staff as to whether this is a one time adjustment, or to revise County ordinance so that members of the Board of Supervisors automatically receive the same adjustment as the Superior Court Judges on an annual basis.
If the Board directs staff to implement either of these two options, County Ordinance section 2.06.020 (A) would need to be amended to reflect the direction provided. Per California Government Code section 25123.5, any ordinance which changes the salary of members of a Board of Supervisors shall become effective 60 days after its adoption. For the first year, the salary increases would be effective 60 days after the second reading of the amended ordinance.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to make any adjustments to their salary.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar # 21-0541
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no direct financial impact to this Board item, any change in Board of Supervisors’ compensation will be brought back to the Board for final approval with an ordinance amendment.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Don Ashton, Chief Administrative Office
Joseph Carruesco, Human Resources