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Sacramento council approves interim city manager terms, sets $352,000 annual salary and asks interim manager to lead recruitment
Summary
The council approved terms and conditions for Assistant City Manager Lainie Milstein to serve as interim city manager, including a temporary salary of $352,000, expanded vacation accrual, preservation of management time for 2025, and a return right to her prior position. The vote was unanimous after public comment raised process and pay concerns.
The Sacramento City Council approved terms and conditions for Assistant City Manager Lainie Milstein to serve as interim city manager while the city conducts a formal recruitment. The council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution setting compensation and employment terms.
Mayor McCarty read the employment terms into the record: "Lainie will earn an annual salary of $352,000 a year," and the resolution further provides that Milstein will receive the benefits available to the city manager under the Unrepresented Personnel Resolution, may accrue vacation beyond the 480-hour cap, and that any credited management time for calendar year 2025 shall not be forfeited. At the conclusion of the interim appointment, the terms allow Milstein to return to her previous assistant city manager position at the same salary and require her to assist the council in recruiting a permanent city manager.
Council action and public comment
A motion to approve the resolution was made and seconded; the council then heard public comment. Several members of the public criticized the timing and transparency of the compensation action and urged the council to consider broader management-pay adjustments amid the city—s budget deficit. Henry Harry said the meeting timing limited public participation and called for more public discussion about management pay. Other public commenters offered both praise and criticism of city leadership and past conduct.
Council members expressed appreciation to Milstein and other senior staff for stepping into leadership during the transition. Councilmember Maple and others thanked Milstein for agreeing to serve and noted the demands of the city manager role overseeing thousands of employees and preparing the city through a difficult budget period. Councilmember Bluckebaum highlighted the opportunity to use the recruitment to improve workplace environment and retention.
Vote
The council recorded a unanimous roll call in favor of the resolution. Votes recorded: Councilmember Kaplan — Aye; Councilmember Dickinson — Aye; Vice Mayor Talamantes — Aye; Councilmember Plaquebaugh — Aye; Councilmember Maple — Aye; Mayor Pro Tem Guerra — Aye; Councilmember Jennings — Yes; Councilmember Vang — Yes; Mayor McCarty — Aye. The resolution passed.
Clarifying details and next steps
The resolution as read provides a temporary 7.5% salary adjustment for the length of the interim appointment, benefits as provided by the Unrepresented Personnel Resolution, allowance to accrue vacation beyond the 480-hour cap in the unrepresented resolution, preservation of management time credited for 2025, and a provision for Milstein to return to her assistant city manager role at the same salary at the conclusion of the interim appointment. The interim manager is expected to assist the council with the recruitment of a permanent city manager and to help lead the organization through the upcoming budget challenges.
