Keeping in touch with the public is often the subject of much
hand wringing by the City Council. Yet, it’s amazing that on
certain issues
– like the lingering issue of possible 5 percent raises for City
Administrator Tom Haglund and the city clerk – how out of touch and
tucked away in their safe city cocoon the Council can be.
Keeping in touch with the public is often the subject of much hand wringing by the City Council. Yet, it’s amazing that on certain issues – like the lingering issue of possible 5 percent raises for City Administrator Tom Haglund and the city clerk – how out of touch and tucked away in their safe city cocoon the Council can be.
Neither Haglund nor the city’s clerk should receive a raise. It’s not a matter of job performance, it’s a matter of Council leadership, acknowledgment that the city’s current financial situation is somewhat precarious and recognition that laying off 40-plus workers while extracting concessions from all union employees is not the time to be doling out raises.
If the Council and city administrator would care to review a sampling of public opinion in Gilroy, here’s what our Community Pulse Board had to say in answer to the question “If the City Council offers City Administrator Tom Haglund, who earns $199,000 per year, a 5% raise, should he decline it?”
-Yes. Unequivocally and fairly he should tell the Council the offer is an affront to the workers and the taxpayers.
-Both the city clerk and he should decline the raise. It would be a slap in the face to the staff who were laid off, decreased hours and those who remain who have more duties to fill the gaps.
-In the spirit of unity, yes!
-By my calculations, that would be a $10,000 raise. I think he should respectfully decline it. However, I do want to say that given the challenges he has had to deal with since the very first day he stepped in the door, he has done a great job overall.
-Of course he should decline it. He makes enough money. That would pay for 12 food service workers at GUSD!
-Yes! At this time there should be no raises.
-Yes, and recall every council member who approves it.
-Decline it, and if he doesn’t let’s all ask for his resignation.
There you have it in a nutshell. Now, we’ll have to wait to see what the in-touch Council does.
