Brookings Banter

Every time the City Council discusses the City Managers' salary one of the members asks how it compares to the Utilities and Hospital top executive's pay.  Actual amounts are never discussed and it never has had any bearing on the amount the Council decides to pay the City Manager.  It was again brought up by Mike Bartley while discussing the salary range we advertise for recruiting a new city manager.

During this round of setting a salary for a new city manager we need decide if the salaries of the top officials at the Utilities and Hospital should be used as reference and be done with it.  If the comments are aimed at the amount being paid to the executives being too high, that should not be discussed during the city manager salary discussion.  It adds no value to the discussion and should be addressed separately.

When we do address the issue the Council needs to remember;

1. The executives at the Utilities and the Hospital do not report to the City Manager or Council, they serve at the pleasure of their respective boards.  They set the salaries based on the respective businesses.  Both boards review regional salaries to make sure they are within reason and competitive.
2. Market factors are in play.  The market salary for a Hospital CEO may be greater than City Managers.  My wife and I both have BS degrees. She graduated with an engineering degree, I received mine in economics.  We both started with 3M and her starting salary was higher then mine. Why?  The market said so.
3. Apple and Oranges.  All three jobs are different.  You can compare number of employees, revenue, and assets. Beyond those factors see point 2.

The Council needs to focus on recruiting the best city manager possible.  Instead of how much the Hospital and Utilities Executives are paid.