Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Santa Ana council approves salary increase for City Manager Alvaro Nunez
Summary
The Santa Ana City Council voted to increase City Manager Alvaro Nunez’s annual salary to $340,200, effective March 18, 2025. The 5-1 vote followed several councilmembers’ public remarks praising his leadership; one councilmember voted no, expressing concern about the size of the raise.
The Santa Ana City Council voted to increase City Manager Alvaro Nunez’s annual salary to $340,200, effective March 18, 2025.
Councilmember John Hernandez moved the measure and the motion carried in a 5-1 vote, with Councilmember Jesse Lopez casting the lone no vote and Councilmember Phan recorded absent for the final vote.
Councilmembers who spoke in support said the raise recognizes Nunez’s work since he became interim city manager and later the permanent appointee. “I will make a motion to support the increase to our city manager,” Councilmember John Hernandez said during the discussion. Mayor Mesquah and other members described operational improvements under Nunez’s leadership, including filling key executive positions and streamlining city operations.
Councilmember Jesse Lopez said she supported the city manager’s work but opposed the specific increase as presented, saying, “the 8% was just outside of the ballpark of what I wanted to see,” and noting constituent concerns about executive pay amid fiscal uncertainty.
Madam City Clerk provided a required oral summary of the salary and benefits before the final action, saying the salary increase results in “an annual salary of $340,200 effective 03/18/2025.” Councilmembers also noted that Nunez declined a car allowance that some previous city managers had accepted.
The council approved a first amendment to the employment agreement and adopted a resolution effecting updates to the city’s classification and compensation plan related to the change. The item drew extended remarks from multiple councilmembers reflecting on Nunez’s hands-on leadership and outreach to state and federal officials.
The council’s action completes the contractual amendment that establishes the new salary and related changes to the classification and compensation plan; no additional implementation dates beyond the stated effective date were announced at the meeting.
— Ending — The council recorded the vote as five ayes and one nay, with Councilmember Phan absent. The action took effect pursuant to the adopted amendment and the clerk’s oral summary.
