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City commission approves employment agreement for incoming city attorney Henlin at $278,500; 457 deferred‑comp plan removed
Summary
The Hollywood City Commission unanimously approved the employment agreement for incoming city attorney Demaris Henlin with a $278,500 base salary and removed a supplemental 457 deferred compensation provision from the agreement.
The Hollywood City Commission unanimously approved an employment agreement for incoming city attorney Demaris Henlin on July 2, setting a base salary of $278,500 and removing a supplemental 457 deferred‑compensation provision that had appeared in prior executive contracts.
Commission discussion focused on market comparators, pay parity and pension/retirement structure. Commissioners asked staff to explain how the proposed salary compared with peer cities; Human Resources staff cited a customary comparator median around $319,000 when including certain cities with community‑redevelopment agencies, with car allowances, cell‑phone stipends and longevity pay often added on top of base pay.
Henlin told the commission she had asked for the $278,500 base as the amount she sought in the contract and said she understood the city’s process for compensation and room to grow with demonstrated performance. During debate, several commissioners stressed that the commission evaluates compensation using established percentile benchmarks and that the commission should be mindful of employee morale and fairness across positions.
Mayor Ben Levy and multiple commissioners praised Henlin’s experience in the office and the merit of a national search process that produced the selection. After discussion about retirement benefits embedded in previous executive agreements, commissioners agreed to remove the separate 457 deferred‑compensation contribution from the city‑attorney contract; they left the city’s standard pension participation and any longevity pay intact.
Formal motion and vote: Commissioner Clary moved to approve the agreement at a $278,500 base salary and to remove the 457 deferred‑compensation provision; Vice Mayor Adelma Quintana seconded. The commission voted unanimously in favor.
Why it matters: The city attorney is among the top compensation positions in city government and provides legal advice across departments. The commission’s action sets the initial base pay and contract terms for the city’s top legal officer and clarifies that the additional 457 plan language will not be part of the agreement.
The commission and Henlin also discussed annual review and future adjustments tied to performance and professional certifications; commissioners said future compensation changes can be considered after regular performance review.
