Council appoints planning commissioner and approves manager and attorney contract adjustments; no action on elected pay increase

The La Mesa City Council on Aug. 12 appointed Mark Regier to the Planning Commission and approved contract adjustments for the city manager and city attorney recommended by a council subcommittee.

Why it matters: Planning‑commission vacancies and executive compensation are routine municipal governance matters, but the council’s decisions affect continuity of land use review and the city’s top management pay structure.

The City Clerk reported that nominations for the planning commission were placed into ballot form after prior posting issues; all council members nominated Mark Regier and the council voted to appoint him (motion carried unanimously).

In closed‑session follow‑up, a council subcommittee recommended a 5% cost‑of‑living adjustment for the city manager; the council approved that adjustment. The subcommittee also recommended a package for the city attorney that included a 6% COLA, a 3% market adjustment (aligning the attorney with department director increases) and a one‑time additional 50 hours of administrative leave; the council approved that request.

Separately, staff presented a biannual city salary review noting a statutory maximum adjustment of up to 10% since the last change in 2023; the council took no action on increasing elected officials’ compensation at the Aug. 12 meeting.

Votes recorded: the planning commission appointment and the contract adjustments for the city manager and city attorney were approved by unanimous vote; the elected‑compensation item was informational and not acted on during the meeting.