Council moves city manager and city attorney contract item to closed session; requests written evaluations and process for raises

The Santa Maria City Council on Aug. 5 directed staff to take the employment‑contract item for the city manager and city attorney to closed session to develop evaluation and raise processes and finalize contract details.

Chief Human Resources Officer Graciela Reynoso presented the item as employment contracts for City Manager David Rollins and City Attorney Thomas Watson, noting the contracts outline terms and benefits consistent with management classifications and that updated contract language includes timing for annual performance reviews.

Council members debated whether the contracts should be considered when all five council members are present and requested the council adopt a clear process for performance evaluations and salary adjustments going forward. Several council members described a “compaction” (salary compression) concern affecting executive salaries; the transcript includes discussion that changes in these two classifications require council action due to CalPERS and payroll schedule rules.

City Attorney Thomas Watson said a more formal process for evaluations “is appropriate and is called for in the contract,” and noted contracts had been revised in part to specify the timing of evaluations. Watson also said the council had time to develop a policy for raises prior to the next scheduled evaluation period.

After discussion, the council voted to move item 13a to closed session with the following procedural directions: councils will provide written evaluations using the ICMA document previously distributed, those written evaluations must be delivered to staff and the two employees one week prior to the closed session, and the closed‑session discussion will occur on the council agenda preceding the regular business item on Sept. 16 (or the next available meeting). The clerk announced the roll call on the motion and recorded votes as: Council Member Aguilar Hernandez, Aye; Council Member Flores, Aye; Council Member Soto, Aye; Mayor Pro Tem Escobedo, absent; Mayor Patino, Aye. The motion passed.

Staff and counsel said that once written evaluations are received, the council will hold a closed‑session discussion of personnel matters, after which the regular business item with the contracts will return to the public agenda.