San Clemente council adopts revised salary schedule with targeted increases, regrades BPR director

San Clemente City Council on June 16 adopted a revised salary schedule tied to the recently adopted biannual budget, approving a general 3% salary adjustment for employees and targeted regrades for certain executive and confidential positions.

Assistant City Manager Brian Brower and Human Resources Manager Car Morin presented the updated schedule and said adjustments reflect the SEIU/MOU terms and a prior compensation study designed to keep city pay competitive. The update applies a 3% general increase across full-time and part-time benefited employees and implements specific position regrades and market adjustments included in the budget.

Notably, the council approved regrading the Beaches, Parks & Recreation director position from Grade 83 to Grade 88, which raised the salary range for that title; staff said the role now supervises a large maintenance and operations scope (roughly 60 full-time and 169 part-time employees) and includes golf maintenance and other public-works functions once split across departments. "This position now includes significant maintenance responsibilities and oversight that previously sat in public works," Brower said.

Several public speakers sought clarity on individual increases, questioned large-range moves and urged transparency; one commenter said that specific adjustments for some positions went up to 12.5% rather than the baseline 3% and asked staff to verify arithmetic in the schedule. The council made the required oral report under Government Code 54953(c)(3) and voted 5-0 to adopt Resolution 26114.

What happens next: the adjusted pay ranges take effect July 6, 2026 (first pay period); staff will finalize payroll processing and may return with recommendations to rename or clarify titles to reflect broader responsibilities.

Authorities referenced: Government Code reporting requirement for salary changes and the city'019s MOU terms that inform adjustments.