Sun City Shadow Hills Topical Discussions: 116 comments to Desert Sun article regarding interim Indio city manager

Interim Indio city manager awarded 10% pay boost

She was making considerably less than people she supervises,” she said. “Up to 20 percent less in some cases.”
In these times, perhaps a new more efficient concept should be that supervisors make less than those they supervise!!! They always get more benefits and who does the work??? Those that they supervise!! Indio city council really missed the boat here to set a new precedent.
5/7/2010 12:13:23 PM

kckas wrote:

Amazing why not give everybody a raise...Thank You Indio for being so generous. at these hard times we all have to tighten our belts..
It's sad that the people of Indio have to pay...go figure..
5/7/2010 12:27:34 PM

beindio wrote:

This is why Indio is broke. The Council is going to ask the residents to support new taxes. In typical fashion they themselves cant get spending under control. It seems it would have been more productive to bring the other salaries down and in line with the Interim MGR wages with the current economic conditions. Just how many positions are making over 200K
a year anyway? GEEEEEEEEEEZ no wonder were broke!
5/7/2010 12:33:23 PM

hge147 wrote:

The Desert Sun (or someone else) needs to look at Adams' contract to see what else she gets. The Indio City Council and their attorney, Edward Kotkin, are pros at hiding additional compensation in the form of additional vacation/sick time, etc. They think we are all stupid! I'll bet money the council padded her contract with "additional benefits" that don't appear as immediate compensation.
5/7/2010 12:37:17 PM

arambojoe wrote:

Maybe paycuts for all would be in order , 18,000.00 a month !!
5/7/2010 12:38:07 PM

hk1985 wrote:

Wow! It must be nice huh? geez.
5/7/2010 12:52:44 PM

FEDUP wrote:

We need to have a NEW council in Indio...completely new. They need to be impeached. They are totally incompetent. I cannot believe that council members hold 2 town hall meetings about not enough funds and asking for input for reductions. Then, they raise one person's salary from $203,124 to $223,956 a year...a $20,832 raise for an interim manager! Tara Adams should turn this down. In fact, Tara Adams should be given the demand to cut city expenses by 20% not including cutting her raise. Unbelievable!
Then, they use smoke and mirrors on where the money is coming from to pay the inflated salary. And THEN they tell us she "supervises" people that make even MORE than her. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!
5/7/2010 1:00:00 PM

Brtkpf wrote:

Bye bye incumbents.
5/7/2010 1:14:58 PM

pslifer wrote:

"The increase from $16,927 a month to $18,663 a month also puts Adams' salary more in line with other department heads, Watson said."
are you f'n kidding me?!?!?
5/7/2010 1:16:59 PM

FEDUP wrote:

AND LOOPY LUPE IS ONE OF THE FIRST THAT SHOULD GO!
5/7/2010 1:18:36 PM

goodgrief68 wrote:

I'm shocked, disgusted and outraged. Cities are talking about laying off hundreds of people and these people are making this kind of money. You can bet that Indio isn't the only city to be paying their "Supervisors" this kind of pay. I had to reread the article just to make sure I hadn't missed something you know like maybe she ran a country or something.
5/7/2010 1:21:52 PM

larooster wrote:

Why all the outrage? This is what these professionals make. You just have to deal with it. If the City does not pay it's employees competitively than they will go elsewhere and we will end up without the mgmt we need to run our City or we will end up with underperforming or unqualified people working for us. All this anger you all share is called jealousy. I don't see doctors, lawyers, etc. taking pay cuts and we pay all their salaries indirectly through our insurance premiums. Get over it!!!
5/7/2010 2:07:19 PM

seasaidh wrote:

outrage is because folks just got laid off and now raises? it just does not make sense to many of us to think someone already making a good amount of money gets more when some former employees are not sure how they are going to put food on their tables. true leadership stands up for what is right, for their employees and should take care of them first, Southard did that. so left with one good CM and no employees? what about the rest of the employees that have taken up slack? have they received raises? doctors do go out into the field free for clinics, lawyers do pro-bono. you are going to have a very hard time selling this as a necessary evil. no, I am not jealous, I am saddened that the council and Ms. Adams did not think about the salt in the wounds. this is not big business, this is our community. it is time to balance good pay with also doing right by the community in a very difficult time.
5/7/2010 2:51:48 PM

DHSwatchdog wrote:

So if I understand Councilwoman Lupe Ramos Watson's math, if I spend more money than I make, I actually save money. Are there any other variables in Lupe's formula? Like if it's taxpayers money=no accountability. Well you stupid citizens of Indio, get used to it. That's the way we do business, and do the taxpayers.
5/7/2010 3:08:05 PM

carlitos wrote:

Ya can't even make this stuff up.
5/7/2010 3:09:15 PM

IWBIZ wrote:

Replying to larooster:

Why all the outrage? This is what these professionals make. You just have to deal with it. If the City does not pay it's employees competitively than we will end up without the mgmt we need to run our City. All this anger you all share is called jealousy.

i am self employed with 30-40 employees. i make a little more than double her salary. the point of that statement is to demonstrate i am not jealous. when my company isnt making money...neither am i. this is astounding that someone got a diploma and a ba in some government manipulation class and they get 18k a month. what happened to 75-120k per year salaries for upper management? housing is down, car prices-stable, food stable or down...this is ridiculous.

you could get someone 10x more qualified in there for a salary of 8-12k per month. this is a ridiculous expenditure according to this non-jealous, non-resident of indio. you guys should recall, impeach, fire your whole council
5/7/2010 3:27:47 PM

stosh wrote:

Replying to larooster:

You can't compare these people with those who have had 8 to 10 years of a very expensive education before they even begin to practice in their field.
We have all seen and had our fill of overpaid, underperforming, unqualified, AND dishonest city employees.
5/7/2010 3:49:02 PM

DHSwatchdog wrote:

Replying to larooster:

Your post is total baloney. Every CEO that ran their company into financial ruin, made the same statement. If I don't like my doctor or lawyer, I'll find another. If I don't like my city leaders, I'm stuck with them until their term is over or until they resign to avoid prosecution.
5/7/2010 4:02:31 PM

pslifer wrote:

Replying to larooster:

"If the City does not pay it's employees competitively than they will go elsewhere and we will end up without the mgmt we need to run our City"
there isnt an abundance of these type of jobs on the market..this is ill timed fleecing...
5/7/2010 4:17:31 PM

bernardxmadoff wrote:

This has gotta be a belated April Fool's joke.

Right ?

Will Palm Springs give David Ready a raise ?
5/7/2010 4:24:40 PM

beindio wrote:

Replying to DHSwatchdog:

The general fund is broke. The city run water authority and redevelopment agency have money. So its a constant shell game to raid these funds.
So what Lupe is saying if we pay her more from these funds its not a cost to the general fund.
They have been abusing the water authority funds for years. Its amazing what falls under water. Now their talking teired water rates to help off set the abuses.
5/7/2010 4:29:48 PM

IWBIZ wrote:

Replying to pslifer:

Replying to larooster:

educator27 wrote:

You people have got to be CRAZY!!!! As a teacher in this valley, I cannot believe that city politicians will give themselves raises, while others in our valley are losing their homes, their quality of life, their sense of self, and their families so that politicians like this person can make 10% more of what is already an overinflated salary. I guess this person will also get free reign of the famous Indio credit card. I can't wait to see her at Fantasy Springs or Jackalope buying rounds of drinks on my tax dollar!!!!!
5/7/2010 6:13:35 PM

Par4Thehole wrote:

I believe that councilmen Miller is right about Tara Adams not getting a raise in these tough times. The rest of the council is asking city employees to take cuts while they give Ms. Adams a raise. What message does this send to the employees of Indio?
5/7/2010 6:17:01 PM

1actually1 wrote:

Wow. Just Wow. Im speechless, are they still paying a headhunter to eventually hire a city manager as well? So there is no backing away from that salary either? Are we looking at adding another $250-$300k position or is this simply temporary? Fact is she could be in there kicking some major ass and trying to get this city in shape and in fact deserves every cent, whter or not you can compare. BUT, if they keep her at his wage and hire another city manager well then we all just might as well accept the fact were being scrawd.
5/7/2010 6:20:36 PM

BlUpsBOI wrote:

How do I apply for one of these cushy jobs where you make $250K/year and only work a 4 day workweek, plus when you get fired for incompetence, you get a huge severance payout, not to mention millions of dollars when you sue the city for wrongful termination an end up with health coverage for life and a taxpayer guaranteed pension?
5/7/2010 6:27:48 PM

socalfrank wrote:

Every little city has an ego. They all keep on one-upping each other in the salary game and claim they have to do it to be "competitive" and attract talented employees.

Citizens and taxpayers should be angry...when their city employees are making 8-10 times the median income for those residents. It's no wonder we all get treated like garbage when we go to city hall....our "public servants" are no doubt driving their city paid for vehicles home, parking them and then taking the Bentley out to dinner at a steakhouse most of us can't afford.

The article intimated that some of the department heads made even more money, so this is obviously a systemic problem.

Cities could hire good talent for a fraction of the cost, but the city councils are usually beholden to the endorsements of the police and fire chiefs, and so it goes....the taxpayer gets screwed again.
5/7/2010 6:37:32 PM

bball77 wrote:

What a JOKE!! All of the consultants are making the decisions, NOT HER. She lays off employees and cuts benefits for all of the employees that are left, and then she gets a raise! I am very happy to not be a part of the City of Indio anymore? What a bunch of crooks!!
5/7/2010 6:48:03 PM

RichardEarl wrote:

A raise? Really bad idea Indio. I live in Indio and I will vote to have every member of the city council voted out. Every one of them. They don't deserve to work at McDonald's!!
5/7/2010 7:34:56 PM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to larooster:

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to DHSwatchdog:

GET RID OF INDIO'S CITY COUNCIL.....THEY HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT MONEY MANAGEMENT.
5/7/2010 7:51:52 PM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to RichardEarl:

A raise? Really bad idea Indio. I live in Indio and I will vote to have every member of the city council voted out. Every one of them. They don't deserve to work at McDonald's!!

I'M WITH YOU....I WILL CAMPAIGN TO EVERYONE I MEET TO N0T VOTE ANY MEMBER OF THIS INEPT COUNCIL BACK INTO OFFICE! ENOUGH! THEY ARE INCOMPETENT!
5/7/2010 8:00:59 PM

CVDave wrote:

I Can't wait until election day.... Pack your bags Indio City Counsil!!!

This is a disgrace to the hard working people of Indio and the employees that recently lost their jobs.... Unreal....

ADIOS!!!!!
5/7/2010 8:27:48 PM

CVDave wrote:

Replying to larooster:I wish those fools would go someplace elese!!!! We don't want thugs like this running our city!!! Sheesh I just can't believe this....

Par4Thehole wrote:

Ms. Adams the employees and the people of Indio would respect you more if you turned down the raise. Take one for the team and do what you know is right. Every employee that works at the City will be doing more work for less money. Why should you be any different?
5/7/2010 8:52:51 PM

I_hate_stupid wrote:

It's too bad the citizens of Indio don't bother to pay attention to their city council until things are in such a mess. Where were you before Southard, when the quite competent city manager (making $174,000 a year) was fired right after Gilbert was elected, because he refused to be a "yes man". The city functioned quite well with one assistant city manager who worked quite effectively with the city manager in reducing the City's budget by creating the Indio Water Authority and contracting with the county for fire services. Evidently this was not the direction in which the council wanted to proceed. We can all see what an intelligent decision that was. The City is in worse shape than it has ever been in and they paid someone almost twice his predecessor to get them there.
5/7/2010 9:24:19 PM

bermudadunes2k10 wrote:

Why is everyone saying they are going to vote out ALL of the city council members? If you read the entire story, it's pretty clear that you would want to keep Glen Miller, as he is the only person who voted against the pay raise because of the budget situations and layoffs. I agree that all the others should be voted out with a boot in their @$$, but we need to keep people like Miller on the council since he actually has some common sense.
5/7/2010 9:53:44 PM

keepnup68 wrote:

You've gotta be kidding me with this! Tara this raise needs to be declined. With the entire City staff including our Police Depart taking pay cuts, layoffs, fur lows and more you can justify a raise when your already making over 15,000 per month!? No matter who's budget this comes out of it is just down right embarrassing that I as a citizen have to watch such a Council be so irresponsible with the decisions being made in "my best interest". Has anyone driven around the city lately?? Lupe you said no drastic changes would be made to the quality of our City. Are you kidding me. Isn't it right that the Police Depart & street guys has had DRASTIC cuts? The men and women that work so hard to keep our crime rates down and clean up our City have had major divisions cut. Drive around take a look! It doesn't take a genius to already see the consequences of firing the men/women who are actually out in our neighborhoods doing the hands on work. Oh, but you are gonna take $2,000 a month raise?
5/7/2010 10:28:03 PM

marcabel wrote:

If this interim trailer trash city manager feels her pay is too low, she should quit. With all the uncertain aspects of future tax collections, she is clearly unqualified to run this city. Since Ms. Adams has been part of the problem with Indio, thus should have been terminated and not promoted, Of course when you look at all the clowns led by Gene Gilbert and company, the insanity makes sense.
5/8/2010 4:26:47 AM

SURFIN7 wrote:

Replying to CVDave:

Replying to larooster:I wish those fools would go someplace elese!!!! We don't want thugs like this running our city!!! Sheesh I just can't believe this....

" This is what professionals make"??? DID MAKE, INCASE YOUR SELF ENTITLED MIND DIDN'T KNOW IT, THE COUNTRY IS B R O K E !!!
5/8/2010 6:10:04 AM

jgs1122 wrote:

10% raise... I'd be smiling too!
5/8/2010 7:37:47 AM

willofthedesert wrote:

Unfortunately, Indio feels like it has to set the standard for city manager salaries. Just look at this headline from 2007:

Indio shocked cities throughout Inland Southern California two years ago when it raised the standard for
city-manager pay by hiring Glenn Southard at $240,000 a year plus benefits.
Other cities quickly followed, and a salary of more than $200,000 a year is now common for Inland city managers.
In July, Southard broke another Inland pay ceiling when Indio's City Council agreed to pay him $300,000 a year,
plus an immediate $30,000 bonus.
"Two years ago that would have been unheard of," said Bill Garrett, executive director for the California City
Management Foundation, a professional association where Southard is a trustee. "The numbers are just going nuts."
5/8/2010 7:42:16 AM

RichardEarl wrote:

No wonder Tara Adams is smiling in that photo!! And yes Glenn Miller did vote against this one so I will decide on voting for him when the time comes. Anyone who votes to spend our tax dollars irresponsibly will be cast out. I guess the Indio City Council just doesn't get it. Drive around the city for a couple hours. Graffiti everywhere, empty lots overgrown with weeds filled with trash, and they want to give her a raise? She is lucky to have a job and make the money she makes.
5/8/2010 7:51:39 AM

DHSwatchdog wrote:

Replying to jgs1122:

10% raise... I'd be smiling too!

For 15%, she could probably force one ear to ear. For all you recently laid off Indio empolyees, let the wrongful termination lawsuits begin.
5/8/2010 8:02:59 AM

beindio wrote:

Glen Miller deserves credit for finaly standing up for the right thing instead of just giving it lip service, then going along with the rest of these sheep on their way to the slaugther house come November
5/8/2010 8:20:42 AM

cardboardpalm wrote:

Increase? That is so wrong!
5/8/2010 8:43:54 AM

PSbizowner wrote:

$223,956!!!!!! $223,956!!!! THIS IS ABSURDITY. And did you bureaucrats wasting taxpayer money calculate in the retirement benefits that go with this salary for our future generations? This has to STOP!!!! NO city staff member is worth this kind of money for a small city. People WAKE up. These are tough times. People are being laid off. Government salaries have become ridiculous. The taxpayers cannot continue to be told that police and fire have to be laid off first in order to pay this person this absurd salary. I know plenty of educated people with major degrees looking for work. This person should have been offered the job with no pay increase. STOP THE WASTEFUL SPENDING!!!!!!
5/8/2010 8:56:17 AM

chollamoon wrote:

Just wondering...Does this have anything to do with Loopy Ramos Wagner getting the only parking permit issued for the activities at the polo grounds and the thousands of dollars she collected in parking fees and the lack of prosecution of the Mayor for shootin' up the parking lot at his store? Get real, folks...get them out of there now, don't wait for an election. Is this 2K buckeroos per month some kind of payback $$??

This lady is now making almost as much, and maybe more, than the CM of DHS....Heaven forbid.
5/8/2010 9:10:09 AM

gaypalmsprings wrote:

10% plus more benefits & bigger retirement. If she takes the money, I think she should retire early.
5/8/2010 9:12:10 AM

TROUBLE wrote:

Replying to larooster:

"If the City does not pay it's employees competitively than they will go elsewhere"
Hummmmmmmmmm, Isn't that the SAME EXCUSE "Goldman Sachs" USED...WHILE RAPING THE PEOPLE??
LET THEM GO.....What ELSE are 'they' going to do?
5/8/2010 9:42:45 AM

NeadKelly wrote:

Replying to TROUBLE:

Replying to larooster:

and what has these high paid employees given us???? Just a broke City that can't pay the people that really work!!!
5/8/2010 9:45:53 AM

DelapitatedPS wrote:

Hillary Clinton's salary rolled back to $186,600.00

YOUR CITY MANAGER IS PAID MORE THAN HILLARY CLINTON? Your City should only have what it can afford and you can NOT afford Mrs. Adams!

Someone should start a recall of all city council members accept Glenn Miller.
5/8/2010 10:00:50 AM

keepnup68 wrote:

City of Indio citizens lets not forget this when the City asks us to vote for higher taxes to pay off their mistakes. Less Police, Fire, Street Maintenance, Code Enforcement and the list goes on and on and on of the everyday workers that were laid off or forced to retire to save money so they can continue to outrageously pay these desk job puppets. The new threat? More layoffs if the citizens of Indio don't pass the new tax. Who's gonna suffer? Drive around, graffiti is out of control, the abandoned houses on my street look horrible, crime will enviably go up as services go down. But, at least we know the higher ups are comfortable and isn't that what counts? WAKE UP INDIO, WE CAN NOT STAND FOR THIS!!
5/8/2010 10:20:58 AM

IndioAYSO wrote:

Somebody forgot to remove the Automatic pay increase switch, in must be somewhere in there near the city managers seat.Glenn Southard forgot to turn it off on his way out.
5/8/2010 11:27:40 AM

catmandu wrote:

If there are bunch of fools going to pay me $200,000 +++ a year. I am going to do exactly what Tara did shake there hand and say thank you very much
5/8/2010 11:55:05 AM

SCGuy wrote:

Indio - The City of Corruption. How do I get a job in Indio as city manager. Wow, she gets a 10% pay raise back to the day she started work. What ever happened to annual performance and salary reviews. And what about consideration that the City of Indio is essentially bankrupt!!!
5/8/2010 11:57:15 AM

DHSwatchdog wrote:

I guess Tara Adams is a disciple of the Glenn Southard School of Mismanagement. Don't forget the lesson about re-issuing city credit cards for personal expenses. That way you don't have to spend a penny of your new inflated salary. What a good student! BTW, is Good Time Glenn's stooge (I mean consultant) still raking in $14K a month from the city? Gosh, what can the city do to save money? Oh, I know, more layoffs.
5/8/2010 12:21:37 PM

zagreb wrote:

Raising her salary 10% is abject stupidity.
5/8/2010 12:55:04 PM

zagreb wrote:

The city council members are just clueless. Every city in the state is having budget problems, particularly Indio and the State of California is bankrupt.

Do they not realize that they are abetting the problem?

Or better still, they probably don't know they have a problem?

If I was a resident of Indio, I would be screaming bloody murder at the next council meeting.
5/8/2010 12:59:57 PM

zagreb wrote:

zagreb's comment has been removed for violating the terms of service.
5/8/2010 1:05:40 PM

formerlydhs wrote:

Replying to zagreb:

I am not a resident of Indio, but this is horrible. It is like throwing your pay increase to people that don't have jobs. Soon running out of employment with no jobs in sight. This so sucks
5/8/2010 3:25:44 PM

formerlydhs wrote:

Replying to SCGuy:

Most places are lowering wages
5/8/2010 3:26:49 PM

formerlydhs wrote:

Replying to Par4Thehole:

Exactly
5/8/2010 3:30:02 PM

Par4Thehole wrote:

Replying to zagreb:

The council members would not listen to you so don't worry. They have forgotten what their pledge was to the community when they were elected. Also, voter turnout is so low in Indio that they will all be re-elected.
5/8/2010 5:07:00 PM

IndioAYSO wrote:

The city council gave Glenn a $50,000 pay increase, why are we screaming for $20,000 that we know by now City of Indio has created a "welcome boss we gave you a raise and expect one in return", BTW City of Indio is proud of maximising everything.
5/8/2010 5:59:21 PM

FapFapFap wrote:

I work at Del Taco and she should make as much as me. In fact everyone should make the same amount of money no matter what job they have. This whole getting paid more money than others isnt American. Turn Down that Raise!
5/8/2010 7:00:21 PM

BlUpsBOI wrote:

Replying to formerlydhs:

Replying to Par4Thehole:

Exactly

You guys just don't seem to get it. She is currently making a huge amount of money...more then she should as are the department heads she supervises. Someone needs to go into city hall (not just Indio's) and make these people's salaries more in line with what people in the private sector make.
5/8/2010 8:53:12 PM

PSbizowner wrote:

It seems that there are many very angry people here. You now need to make your voice heard as I have done many times in Palm Springs. Go to the next city council meeting. Everyone that is in disagreement with this person getting this pay increase should go to the meeting and use your "speakers" time to line up and spend the whole night there if necessary and so your disgust. The council that voted for this will definitely get the message. If you all decide to stay home and watch tv there is no excuse to complain. Get out and be heard. I am not a resident of Indio but am disgusted with these bureaucrats. They say we lose good people. I say let them go. There are lot's of qualified educated people looking for work and would be happy to take the job for half the money. Don't put any of these people on a pedestal. It's time to be wise to the real cost to the taxpayers!
5/8/2010 9:28:48 PM

LuvLE wrote:

Her salary is 6+ times the amount I WAS making 2 mos ago. Must be nice. Glad I bought a home in Indio a year and a half ago. Not. These people do not remember what it was like to make minimum wage (if they ever did) and they don't appear to care.
5/8/2010 9:42:03 PM

brownie1234 wrote:

10 % of 200,000 is 20,000. So do the math. This broad is already making over 200,000 dollars. So why in the heck should they raise that. Seems like Indio is out to make a bunch of people rich at the tax payers expense. Very callous. Very secular and very wrong.
5/8/2010 9:50:56 PM

zagreb wrote:

Replying to brownie1234:

Indio raised her pay to attract some overpaid bureaucrat to apply for the city manager job.
5/8/2010 9:53:49 PM

live_from_760 wrote:

I'm not sure I'd focus all of my thinking on what she makes. I'd also focus on what she accomplishes. Personally, I'd be happy to pay more than the numbers disclosed here if the measurable performance of each of the city's senior executives greatly exceed what they each get paid. If she ends up making sustainable progress that saves the city millions of dollars, then the city got itself a good deal. It's politics, so you know it's not going to be easy to get everyone to agree on how to define success, but there are certain basics that I think most people can easily agree on.
5/9/2010 8:19:38 AM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to 1actually1:

YEP....We are being screwed!
5/9/2010 10:24:27 AM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to pslifer:

"The increase from $16,927 a month to $18,663 a month also puts Adams' salary more in line with other department heads, Watson said."

are you f'n kidding me?!?!?

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DESERT SUN POST ALL OF INDIO MANAGEMENT, BY NAME AND THEIR ANNUAL COMPENSATION, BONUSES, AND PERKS. ISN'T THAT INFORMATION THAT HAS TO BE SUPPLIED IF ASKED FOR SINCE IT IS ALL TAXPAYER MONEY PAYING THEM?

COME ON DESERT SUN....PUBLISH THOSE NAMES AND SALARIES.! GETLET US SEE WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT AND WHAT THOSE POSITIONS GIVE US IN RETURN.
5/9/2010 10:31:40 AM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to hge147:

COME ON DESERT SUN....GET A COPY OF THAT CONTRACT AND POST IT IN THE PAPER FOR ALL OF US TO REVIEW. CITIZENS OF INIO ARE DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY - WE NEED CHANGE!
5/9/2010 10:33:22 AM

ETA2010 wrote:

Tara laid off about 30 people including those on medical and maternity leave, one that worked there for almost 27 years and near retirement, several in facilities that are needed for maintenance of Teen Center, Senior Center, Public Works Building - all new buildings, Code Enforcement that is needed for clean up the City, and only 2 in management. In return - there are several management positions that are not touched even though they proved to be useless (according to the public as complaints heard many times). Miller - good luck - you are the only one against this BS and for that Thank You Sir! As for the rest of the Council- shame on you for even considering this - signing on "Thank You for your services" Letter in March and "Congrats Tara" not even two months later is really unfair and disgusting. When Glen was awarded for additional vacation time he turned it down – very noble of him. Tara is not going to do that – she does not care about Indio people!
5/9/2010 11:05:41 AM

ETA2010 wrote:

Replying to FEDUP:Get it from the City - it is public information

Replying to hge147:

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to ETA2010:

Replying to FEDUP:Get it from the City - it is public information

Replying to hge147:

COME ON DESERT SUN....GET A COPY OF THAT CONTRACT AND POST IT IN THE PAPER FOR ALL OF US TO REVIEW. CITIZENS OF INIO ARE DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY - WE NEED CHANGE!

ONE PRIVATE CITIZEN HAVING INFORMATION WILL NOT CHANGE THE CULTURE OF INDIO COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT. HAVING THE DESERT SUN PUBLISH THIS DATA WILL FORCE THE SITUATION INTO THE PUBLIC EYE. THAT WILL RESULT IN OPEN DISCUSSION AND CHANGE.
5/9/2010 11:46:58 AM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to ETA2010:

Tara laid off about 30 people including those on medical and maternity leave, one that worked there for almost 27 years and near retirement, several in facilities that are needed for maintenance of Teen ... As for the rest of the Council- shame on you for even considering this - signing on "Thank You for your services" Letter in March and "Congrats Tara" not even two months later is really unfair and disgusting. When Glen was awarded for additional vacation time he turned it down – very noble of him. Tara is not going to do that – she does not care about Indio people!

IT WAS "FAIR" OF GLEN TO TURN DOWN THE EXTRAVAGENT OFFER OF VACATION THE COUNCIL VOTED TO GIVE HIM. THE OFFER BACK THEN CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DIDN'T AND DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT MONEY MANAGEMENT, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE FACT WE WERE ALREADY GOING BROKE AT THAT TIME-AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT! REMEMBER ALSO, THEY,GLEN , TARA AND ALL MANAGEMENT MISSED PAYMENTS OF $3MILLION!

5/9/2010 12:03:00 PM

FEDUP wrote:

This might interest some of you.....some salary ranges in Indio from the Indio website: these are MONTHLY salaries and do not inlcude bonuses, insurance, vacation, retirement, etc. that are added to it.

Fiscal Officer $7,949 $10,652
City Clerk Services Mgr $8,272 $11,086
Assistant to the City Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Human Services Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Info Tech Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Water Operations Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Chief Bldg Official $11,965 $16,035
City Eng $11,965 $16,035
Development Mgr $11,965 $16,035
Facilities & Construction Mgr $11,965 $16,035
General Services Mgr $11,965 $16,035
Planning Manager $11,965 $16,035
Police Captain $11,965 $16,035
Assistant City Mgr 413 $15,354 $20,576
Chief of Police $15,354 $20,576
Director of Community Development 4 $15,354 $20,576
Director of Public Works $15,354 $20,576
Management Services Dir $15,354 $20,576

City Mgr $20,200 $27,070

5/9/2010 12:21:53 PM

marcabel wrote:

No wonder the city of Indio has so much low income housing. By the time Adams and the rest of the clowns who lead city like Gene Gilbert are done, no one will want to live in Indio and property values will drop faster than a bag of cement from atop the new Public Works building.
5/9/2010 2:22:30 PM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to marcabel:

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!!!! I LIVE IN NORTH INDIO AND AM VERY VERY SORRY I MOVED HERE.
5/9/2010 4:58:02 PM

FEDUP wrote:

ALSO OF SOME INTEREST IS THE LOWEST PAID JOB LISTED:
receptionist $2,817 $3,775 - THAT IS $33,804/YR & UP TO $45,300/YR PLUS BENEFITS.
5/9/2010 5:05:09 PM

goodcitizen wrote:

Indio will just NEVER learn. This is OUTRAGEOUS. let's just fire all the decision makers since they do have any common sense and are just going to get ub back into the same mess we are in now.
FIRE THEM.
5/9/2010 5:44:13 PM

JOEinCATCITY wrote:

And the city will save at least $8,000 a month because her salary will be drawn from the Redevelopment Agency and Indio Water Authority budgets as well as the General Fund

Ah good, I will contact the Riverside Grand Jury office for illegal transfer from the Indio Water Authority enterprise fund (rates) to pay for a General Fund activity
5/9/2010 6:22:22 PM

keepnup68 wrote:

Fiscal Officer $7,949 $10,652
Assistant to the City Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Human Services Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Info Tech Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Water Operations Mgr $10,615 $14,226
Chief Bldg Official $11,965 $16,035
City Eng $11,965 $16,035
Development Mgr $11,965 $16,035
Facilities & Construction Mgr $11,965 $16,035
General Services Mgr $11,965 $16,035
Planning Manager $11,965 $16,035
Police Captain $11,965 $16,035
Assistant City Mgr 413 $15,354 $20,576
Chief of Police $15,354 $20,576
Director of Community Development 4 $15,354 $20,576
Director of Public Works $15,354 $20,576
Management Services Dir $15,354 $20,576

City Mgr $20,200 $27,070

These pple were not effected by the layoffs,their jobs were safe while the everyday worker youd see actually working were laid off!Less workers same amount of supervisors, Tara,justify that.
5/9/2010 10:41:59 PM

FEDUP wrote:

Why does Indio need all three of these extremely highly paid positions?
Assistant to the City Manager
Assistant City Manager
City Manager

Of course there ia also at least one administrative assistant
and, there are at least 2 Human resource coordinators plus a HR Manager?

Seems like there is a lot of overlap and overkill in Indio's org chart.
5/10/2010 9:19:13 AM

EVAdvocate wrote:

Based on the number of comments to Ms. Adams raise this issue has hit a cord with the residents of Indio as well it should. The actions of the majority of the City Council, excepting Councilman Miller, were and are disgraceful and incompetent. However, in order for there to be change you need to make your voice heard during the Council meetings. I encourage every person who commented on this article to go to the next City Council meeting on May 19th & let your voice be heard during the Public Comment portion of the meeting. Although, Ms. Adams may be capable in handling her current duties she now makes more money than the Secretary of State of the United States! This fact alone should tell you that adjustments need to be made to the pay ranges of City employees. Come on Gilbert, Godfrey, Watson & Fesmire. Get with it and do the right thing on this issue and other matters before the City or 3 of you won't have jobs come November.
5/10/2010 10:20:16 AM

daj1217 wrote:

Dear Fedup, you don't quite have your facts straight. The city of indio does not have a HR manager and the position of Assistant to the City Manager was eliminated!
5/10/2010 10:49:05 AM

Thristy wrote:

Is Glenn Southard working behind the scenes. Councilman Miller is only one vote and reading this raise will pass unless the citizens call the other councilman and voice their opposition. Tara Adams knows the conditions ths city is in and should ask that all city rasies be frozen for the time being.

Vote out the mayor and city council.
5/10/2010 12:36:52 PM

EVAdvocate wrote:

The VP of the United States Joe Biden make $221,100 annually. Ms. Adams now makes more than our VP by $2,856. Now, I may not be a politician but I have enough common sense to realize that Ms. Adams position as Interium City Manager for a Municipality of approx. 83,000 residents is not as stressful as the man who is a heatbeat away from being the leader of the free world. The residents of Indio need to ask where was the common sense and fiscal responsibility of Mayor Gene Gilbert and Councilmembers Godfrey, Watson and Fesmire? How can they possibly justify any pay increases at this time for any City employee? The residents of Indio have every right to be outraged. If, Ms. Adams truly cares about the City of Indio she should realize the inappropriate nature of her request and she should immediately advise the City Council that she is recinding her request for a pay increase.
5/10/2010 1:29:49 PM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to daj1217:

Dear Fedup, you don't quite have your facts straight. The city of indio does not have a HR manager and the position of Assistant to the City Manager was eliminated!

I appreciate the update. There are 2 contacts listed for HR coordinators on the Indio website. I certainly will make an effort to receive the most current employee listing of Indio before commenting further. I like to be factual.
5/10/2010 1:36:10 PM

hge147 wrote:

Replying to FEDUP:

There are 2 contacts listed for HR coordinators on the Indio website. I certainly will make an effort to receive the most current employee listing of Indio before commenting further. I like to be factual.

There are currently two HR coordinators, but there is no HR Director nor is there an Assistant to the City Manager. The ATCM position was eliminated by Adams (and was the only management position that was eliminated by her). Adams acts as the HR Manager. This bump in salary will help her greatly when she retires. And, if you notice, the article states that her salary will remain the same, even when she returns to her job as the Assistant City Manager. She’s built herself quite a nice little kingdom.
5/10/2010 1:59:42 PM

ETA2010 wrote:

Replying to FEDUP:One HR person was hired AFTER Glen announced that there will NOT be ANY raised or new hires!!!!!

Replying to daj1217:

Dear Fedup, you don't quite have your facts straight. The city of indio does not have a HR manager and the position of Assistant to the City Manager was eliminated!

ETA2010 wrote:

Replying to hge147:Tara got rid of great guy Assistant CMMark Wasserman (he was on medical leave) so that she does not have competition.

Replying to FEDUP:

EVAdvocate wrote:

Well Ms. Adams now that the City of Indio pays you more than Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden for your services as Interium City Manager have you finished your morning Security briefing on international terror threats???

Come on Indio City Council members Ramos, Fesmire and Godfrey and our absentee Mayor Gene Gilbert what were you thinking giving Ms. Adams a raise? How do you expect to negotiate in good faith with the Unions? Your misguided actions of last week were a complete affront to all the hard working residents of Indio.

And, finally, Ms. Adams if you have any real sense of integrity and good will to the City you would immediately come forward any withdraw your request for a pay increase. Come on Ms. Adams be a true leader and step up to the plate and do the right thing!
5/11/2010 9:04:20 AM

Squidge wrote:

These days, everyone is being asked to do more than what they originally were hired to do, and with no pay increases nor annual raises or bonuses. Indio's City Council should hire one or two part-timers to cover the responsibilities outside the scope of City Manager thereby giving jobs to more people. Also, Ms. Adams is obviously unrealistic to think she can do all those jobs AND will sink, not swim AND must have really low self-esteem because it looks like she's trying to prove herself. If my city council did what Indio's is doing, I'd move.
5/11/2010 9:27:31 AM

I_hate_stupid wrote:

Does the Indio City Council really believe they are doing what is in the best interest of the city of Indio? Or have they, once again, allowed someone to convince them this is the thing to do -- even when they know it is not. It's a breath of fresh air to see Councilman Miller stand up for what is right. I can hardly believe that a mere decade ago salaries were half what they are now and one person covered three to four of the positions now within the City of Indio. The city hasn't grown so much that it has generated that great of a workload -- and even if it had, where is the work product. Does Indio really look twice as good as it did ten years ago? This council, like so many in the state of California, will not be done until the run the city right into the ground. Listening to the voice of reason is not an option for them, because they are so sure they know it all. Once again, look at the work product.
5/11/2010 11:27:52 AM

FEDUP wrote:

Replying to I_hate_stupid:

WE NEED TO VOTE OUT THE MAD 4 OUT OF CITY COUNCIL!!!!! WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THE POSITION OF "ASSISTANT CITY MANGER" COMPLETELY. WHEN THEY HIRE A QUALIFIED CITY MANAGER, TARA SHOULD BE OUT COMPLETELY, INSTEAD THEY PLAN TO MOVE HER BACK AND NOT TAKE BACK THE SERIOUSLY INFLATED SALARY. WE NEED NEW FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL!!!
5/11/2010 2:27:48 PM

Therealvoice wrote:

BRING BACK MIKE WILSON! I can't take this anymore, at least we will have one person going against the grain for the good of Indio! He tried to tell us and we thought he was crazy...not the entire City is eating crow.
5/11/2010 3:30:56 PM

BeverlyJ wrote:

Replying to Therealvoice:
You got THAT right!! Hopefully the voters have seen the light and will bring back a voice of reason! We want Mike!!

DBalbi wrote:

Based upon a 40 hour work week (close early on Fridays???)

City Clerk Mgr $8,272 $11,086 $69.00 PER HOUR
Assistant City Mgr $10,615 $14,226 $89.00 PER HOUR
Human Services Mgr $10,615 $14,226 "" ""
Chief Bldg Official $11,965 $16,035 $100.00 PER HOUR
City Eng $11,965 $16,035 "" ""
Development Mgr $11,965 $16,035 "" ""
Facilities & Const Mgr $11,965 $16,035 "" ""
General Services Mgr $11,965 $16,035 "" ""
Planning Manager $11,965 $16,035 "" ""
Assistant City Mgr 413 $15,354 $20,576 $128.00 PER HOUR
Director of Comm Devel 4 $15,354 $20,576 "" ""
Director of Public Works $15,354 $20,576 "" ""
Management Services Dir $15,354 $20,576 "" ""
City Mgr $20,200 $27,070 THAT’S $169.00 PER HOUR

If you don't think this is outrageous, you must be an Indio City Council Member (not you Glenn Miller)
5/11/2010 9:12:47 PM

HeathCortlandt wrote:

I agree its a lot of money, but if any of you think a City Manager only works a 40-hour work week you obviously don't know much about the position. Being on-call and not being able to take a simple trip to the store without being cornered by residents and business owners I'm sure is quite draining. When you calculate the compensation of a City Manager, consider the actual hours worked, and not a hypothetical 40-hours which is most efinitely not the case.
5/12/2010 11:48:57 AM

BobCayman wrote:

Where's she going next? Fannie & Freddie Mac ?
5/13/2010 6:59:40 AM

FEDUP wrote:

I don't have a problem with a qualified CM making $223K/yr. I do have an issue with an assistant making more than $120,000/yr IF we need an assistant at all!We certainly don't need one making even $200, let alone $223K! I also would not have had an issue if council voted to give the 'Interim" a "bonus" of $20K instead of a salary increase that she will now keep forever. How many salary reductions will it take to cover that $20K in salary that she received? No, Instead, our inept council gave her a permanent raise. How many more vacation days & vested sick days did she get & what kind of bonus was promised for this interim position. Many questions are still unanswered. On top of this, council insults our intelligence by saying $8K is coming out of someone else's budget-still our pocket but not the Gen fund? That is ludicrous. When she reverts back to highly pd asst in July (2 months?)she get to keep the high salary!
5/13/2010 7:26:48 AM

mrlegalbrief wrote:

Seems a little ridiculous, considering all the people that were laid off recently. That could have been someone's wages. From what I hear, there was to be no raises for 2 years. Period. I suggest to all those laid off that they look into this and contact the Fair Housing and Employment Department. I think the city may have made mistakes in laying off people with all they are doing now and have been doing. It's worth a call.
5/13/2010 7:43:26 AM

FEDUP wrote:

There are many questions in addition to base salary....
How many paid vacation days are they credited at commencement/start of the contract (yes, they get a lot) and then how many do they accrue a year thereafter. How much of that can be converted to a cash payment and when.
How many already paid sick/personal days are they credited at the start of the contract (more here too) and how many per yr after?
Monthly car Alowance/payment?
Cafeteria Plan contribution of over $1200/month? Someone has to explain this one to me please.
% of salary match for contributions to retirement fund.
What are the termination payment details.
What is the annual bonus and what is it based on?
What is the relocation payment?
5/13/2010 7:59:27 AM

beindio wrote:

With all the layoffs, everyone has had to take on more duties. So with this rationale should'nt everyone be getting a raise?
Just take it from the Water Authority you've been raiding it for everything else.
5/13/2010 11:34:03 AM

marcabel wrote:

The Klan is alive and well in Indio. I just do not understand why the Democrats here do not wear the robes like they do in the old South. It is so funny that the party who represented the South during the Civil War and fought Reconstruction efforts, created Jim Crow laws and other obstacles to minorities, is now the party of mud people. Clowns like Gene Gilbert are just fronts for the white power structure who continue to feed bucks and perks to their cohorts behind the scene.
5/15/2010 5:59:00 AM

Sun City Shadow Hills Topical Discussions

116 comments to Desert Sun article regarding interim Indio city manager

Search This Blog

SCSHTD Group

Recommended Links

Labels

Blog Archive

Sitemeter

Sun City Shadow Hills Topical Discussions

116 comments to Desert Sun article regarding interim Indio city manager

Search This Blog

SCSHTD Group

Recommended Links

Labels

Blog Archive

Subscribe To

Sitemeter