Times: Hercules city manager top earner of West County department heads
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 19 August 2010 — 3 comments below »
The salary represents a 10% raise over the previous year, you know, for a job well done… “Hercules’ Nelson Oliva was the highest-paid city manager in West Contra Costa last year, earning $278,568, according to salary records furnished by the region’s five cities. Oliva’s 2009 earnings consisted of a base salary of $219,999 and unspecified other earnings of $58,568. He also enjoys a zero-interest $250,000 housing assistance loan granted by the city in 2007.“
And for what, a glut of affordable housing and a dead waterfront development? Jobs programs for his children and cronies? And he takes a pay raise at a time when city tax revenues have dwindled? Wake up herculeans.
If the residents of Hercules would like to see how we compensate our city employees and compare to other local cities that are much larger and have more complex problems, please check out the following wed-site.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/public-employee-salaries-results (click on Public Entity)
Also, while on the subject of over the top expense, the City Council cost us $47,000 in travel cost for fiscal yr 2009-2010….What did we receive in return for this cost to our tax-payers?
This City Manager makes approx. 3 to 4 times as much as the average citizen and he is award a zero-interest loan for the purchase of his home. “thats just not right” and this was approved in “close session” by the City Council.
Time for some major changes with this clan running the city.
I can’t see how the city could justify a 10% raise with the economy as it is now. Nelson’s compensation is 8.5% more than Bill Lindsay (Richmond city manager). The size and complexity of running Hercules is no where near that of Richmond. The interest free loan is simply a poorly disguised bonus to make Nelson’s base salary look reasonable.
On the bright side, the Hercules fire and police departments should be commended for controlling their overtime. Their counterparts in Richmond and in the east county are completely out of control in comparison.