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Willows council approves consent calendar including city manager contract after public objections
Summary
The Willows City Council approved its consent calendar, which included labor agreements and a contract for the city manager, following public comment that questioned the timing and size of a proposed pay increase.
The Willows City Council on June 24 approved the consent calendar, including appointments and labor agreements, and the city manager contract, by a 5-0 vote.
Public commenters objected to the timing and size of a pay adjustment for the city manager, asking the council to prioritize stalled capital projects and public safety. Maria Ehorn said she was concerned about “raising the city manager's salary” and questioned whether the city had the funds after a recent sales tax measure, saying the raise looked like “around 21%.” Madeline Kaufman urged caution: “When it comes to the city manager's raise ... I would urge you to think twice about giving her that raise.” Another resident said funds should go to reestablishing a local police force rather than to a salary increase.
Council members who spoke in support described the increases on the consent calendar as modest, overdue and necessary to retain staff. Council members and the mayor noted the city has faced multi-year fiscal pressure, that several employee groups had gone without increases while contracts were expired, and that the city manager had not received salary increases since being hired in 2021. Council members repeatedly described city staff as “dedicated” and said the measures reflected an effort to stabilize staffing and retain employees. One council member said the city manager had “worked seven days a week” and had coordinated contracts and staffing through difficult budget years.
The formal motion to approve items 6A through 6H on the consent calendar—including minutes approval, a planning commission appointment, multiple bargaining-unit agreements, a management confidential item, a health reimbursement arrangement, a full-time librarian job classification and the city manager contract—was moved and seconded and passed 5-0. The council did not alter the consent items after public comment.
The council’s action leaves the city manager contract in place as approved on the consent calendar. No additional direction to staff on the city manager contract was recorded during the meeting.
