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Palm Desert council approves city manager contract, raises salary to $285,000
Summary
The Palm Desert City Council on Sept. 11 approved a full employment agreement with Christopher Escobedo, converting his interim appointment to a regular city manager post with an increased salary and specified severance terms.
The Palm Desert City Council voted 5-0 on Sept. 11 to approve an employment agreement with Christopher Escobedo, making his appointment as city manager effective the same day and increasing his annual salary from $270,000 to $285,000.
The agreement includes a $600-per-month automobile allowance, standard executive benefits consistent with other city executives, vacation accrual at eight hours per pay period with future increases aligned to peer executives, and severance protections. Under specified circumstances, the contract provides nine months' severance if terminated during the first three years and six months' severance thereafter. The council's staff presentation noted state law SB 1436 requires agencies to verbally report specified information when changing compensation or benefits for executive officers.
Council members praised Escobedo's performance during his interim appointment and described him as responsive and attentive to staff and council needs. Escobedo said he was "Extremely" excited to accept the position. No public speakers addressed the item during the formal action.
The motion to adopt the employment agreement passed unanimously. The council did not alter the contract terms presented by staff during the meeting.
The action formalizes personnel terms the city had implemented on a short-term basis since April, after Escobedo's appointment as interim city manager.
