A proposed salary increase for Mendocino County’s Board of Supervisors is facing backlash. The proposal, set for discussion and possible action on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, would raise salaries by over $15,000 in the next two years. Board members argue the increase is a fair market rate, but critics point out that many county employees currently earn less than $20 per hour.
The ordinance suggests increasing the base salary for each Board member from $95,302 to $110,715 over two fiscal years, noting that the Board has not seen an annual salary increase since 2018, except for COLAs received from 2019 through 2021.
Mendocino County’s Human Resources conducted a salary survey using Humboldt, Lake, and Sonoma counties as comparators. With the proposed increase and their benefits, the supervisors’ total compensation would reach $160,715 annually by 2026. In comparison, Humboldt County supervisors make $124,300 annually, Lake County supervisors make $104,000, and Sonoma County supervisors make $211,295.
A’Kesh Eidi, a Public Health employee and SEIU 1021 Chapter President criticized the proposal: “If we subject the Board’s total compensation package to the same comparison process that showed County employees were under market, the same process shows that the Board is already over market by 14%, and the proposed increase would put their total compensation over market by almost 20%.”
4th District Supervisor Dan Gjerde defended the increase, stating, “The salaries for Mendocino County employees are based on an average of the salaries in nearby local governments. Of Mendocino County’s 1,070 employees, the five Supervisors are the last County employees to receive a market adjustment.” He added that over 150 other job classifications would continue to have higher salaries than that of a County Supervisor.
1st District Supervisor Glenn McGourty said, “The BOS is committed to fair market wages for all employees, including supervisors. We will be the last group to receive a market rate adjustment in our pay.” McGourty, who is leaving the board in January, added, “Compensating people fairly for what can be very stressful and difficult work makes sense if you want to continue to have good candidates applying for these positions.”
Critics argue that the wage hike is inappropriate given Mendocino County’s financial turmoil. In June 2024, the county balanced its budget using $7 million in unsustainable one-time funds. In early July, California’s State Controller blamed the Board of Supervisors for the financial chaos. The fall of local cannabis and an inefficient property tax collection system have further strained the county’s finances.
Megan Wolf, a library employee and SEIU 1021 Executive Board member, called the proposed increase “incredibly upsetting.” She stated, “The Board has repeatedly told us that the county is in dire financial straits. The Board says they cannot afford to give us appropriate COLAs but now they are proposing that the Board get significant raises. In my department, the Mendocino County Library, half of all library workers make less than $20. The Board should be prioritizing their workers by raising the county minimum wage to at least $20.”
Supervisor McGourty offered a more optimistic view of the county’s financial picture, saying, “Our understanding of Mendocino County’s financial position has improved dramatically under Interim Auditor Controller Treasurer Tax Collector Sara Pearce and CEO Darcie Antle. Working closely with our consultants, the County has closed books for 2021-22 and 2022-23. Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports have been produced for both years, with the latest one indicating ‘no significant material findings.’”
He highlighted the budget’s clarity, saying, “While money is tight, at least we have a balanced budget and a clear understanding of our ending balance. Additionally, all financial information and records are now properly managed in the MUNIS system.” McGourty emphasized the teamwork involved, adding, “CEO Antle and her financial team also played a significant role in this effort, and the BOS made this a top priority with strong support and dedicated resources.”
McGourty concluded, “It is unfortunate that the State Controller’s Office did not interview any of the Supervisors for their report as we could have easily provided additional useful information.”
According to the United States Census Bureau, Mendocino County’s per capita income is $34,977.
This county is in financial ruin & yet these 5 greedy public servants have obviously been talking amongst each other about how they deserve more money. This is truly gross! So many issues facing the county & their focus is on serving themselves & not their constituents. I’m truly disgusted!!
Mendocino does not need full time board of supervisors. The amount now being paid to them is ripping off the taxpayers of the county. At what point is the public going to stop politicians from using public office as a source of income?
Go ahead and call me cynical….
Everytime I look at one of the several photos of these schmucks I visualize a clown car full of political hacks.
Hired guns thats all.
This band of thieves is beyond worthless. Of course mcgourty and do-nothing-dan are in support of the raise with one foot out the door. What do you bet these bagmen take their cushy retirement packages and ride off to greener, unspoiled pastures with more services and better affordability?
Does mcgourty really think it’s so stressful being on the BOS? It’s a part-time gig with no accountability and no real oversight. Whenever I see mcgourty schmoozing at Patrona he doesn’t look so stressed to me!
The gall of these supervisors! $95k a year is a substantial amount for a county supervisor in such an impoverished county! They need to voted out as soon as possible and get a group that understands the meaning of “ public service” . The mess that is happening with licensed cannabis growers is an example of the BOS not fulfilling their duties to the people who the swore to serve! I do believe you and I agree on this subject!
Taxation without representation in MCGourty district.
These elected officials are elected to serve the people who voted them in not extort them for their own greed and benefit. By increasing BOS salaries it puts more strain on an already overwhelmed and underrepresented people. Where will this extra money come from? We need to hold these “representatives “ accountable, look at our county roads, homeless problems, drug pandemic, under staffed Sheriff’s Department and let the people decide weather these circus performers deserve a salary increase. Here’s a thought, maybe BOS salaries should be based on-the median income of the district they are supposed to represent so they will have some incentive to perform. Allow the people to vote whether their representatives deserve an increase in salaries. In the private sector salaries are based upon performance not what your neighbors are currently receiving. These county reps are at the helm of a ship steaming head long into the rocks and unwilling or too ignorant to reverse course. What an absolute joke. Recall all 5 of these unproductive unmotivated self serving hacks.
Hear hear!
Fuck these supervisors and the ceo office. Leaches should be fired for their incompetence.
Wow. I would love to have a job where I could vote to get paid more money. WTH?
Wow! Just Wow! I think, based on their performance, the county’s financial crisis, and the county they’re supposed to serve, NO PAY INCREASE!! The nerve of them to even think they need a pay increase is insulting to the constituents they have screwed. This is the type of decisions they have repeatedly made over and over again. No more money chuckleheads. We can’t afford it!
Look at the closures in the County: JC Penney, Dennys, Big Lots, East Perkins Bar & Grill, Mica’s, Perkins St. BBQ…and these are just the ones I remember in Ukiah alone. Given the county’s love affair with poverty grants, and their very depressing results, little real business enterprise is taking place and what we had is leaving. The blame rests with the BOS and the Ukiah City Council. Why didn’t either step forward to help save the Palace Hotel, which restored as an historic landmark could have become an economic magnet? Let’s not even bring up BOS’ abrupt suspension without pay of Chamise Cubbinson. Ship of fools, alas. No to the pay raises.
Can someone inform me about whether this meeting can be attended by the general public or not? The when & where if it can be. I’m not getting much help from county websites about it & would love to hear their case for a raise & voice my take on the matter if possible. Thanks in advance for any help or info!
Yes. Tomorrow morning at 9 am, 501 Low Gap in the county administration building.
How convenient!
Thank you Mr. Gaska
REGULAR MEETING
July 23, 2024 – 9:00 AM
Meeting Location(s): 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1070, Ukiah, CA. 95482 (Board Chambers)
It’s shocking that the board would be so blind to have the audacity to vote themselves a pay raise in our county that is struggling financially. There needs to be a check on their ability to do it. Their statistical analysis for their justification is self serving not public serving. I hope they have a change of perspective.
I posted this as an eComment to tomorrows meeting. I can not attend but wanted my opinion to be on the record. Sign up here to get your position heard.
https://mendocino.granicusideas.com/meetings/489-board-of-supervisors-on-2024-07-23-9-00-am-regular-meeting/agenda_items
Here is my comment:
The whole idea of the “salary survey” is flawed to begin with. It’s comparing apples to oranges. How do you think it would go if I walked into my bosses office and asked for a raise just because my neighbor makes more money than me? I’m fairly certain they would laugh me out of the office. Well, the residents of this county are your boss and that’s what you are asking of us, with a straight face I might add. The sad thing is, you’re not really asking us are you. I spent some time running numbers from Publicpay.ca.gov and what I came up with is very interesting. It turns out the board of supervisors are already overpaid when you compare oranges to oranges. I’m suggesting the pay should be determined by some real world metrics that might include population, county size, total budget, number of employees, total employee wages. The results of this algorithm should be a multiplier that is applied the the average county employee pay. This is just an unfinished thought on my part, but something must be done about elected officials voting on their own pay package, it should not be the case for county executives either. Just to put the supervisors current pay into perspective. The current average total wage reported to publicpay (excluding benefits package) for a Mendocino County Supervisor is $110,381.00. Using population of 89476 put the per capita pay of $1233.64 per 1000. That number doesn’t mean much by itself until compared to the rates of the 58 other California counties. It puts Mendocino at number 14 out of 58, only 13 counties pay their supervisors more per capita. All the surrounding counties pay less, Sonoma county substantially less. Obviously it wouldn’t be very accurate to just use population to determine pay but it’s better than using geographic proximity.
Didn’t the state audit find this BOS to blame for financial chaos of Mendocino County because of putting two separate & different function offices, together, with all personal involved with these offices, voicing against such an action? But….they believe, they, I repeat, THEY believe they deserve raises. Have anyone of them considered job performance part of the getting a raise criteria?? This is a problem with officials all over the country. If a panel of Mendocino County citizens should decide on raises for BOS, they would deduct the cost of the mess the BOS made by consolidating offices to get rid of some employees & wages. They did it to supposedly save money and have one entity in charge which now is costing more money because of lawyers & hearings on Cubbison. No raise and accountability…. is the only answer in my opinion.
This is unbelievable. The BOS has been helping themselves more than us. Aren’t some even working other full time jobs as well?
Yet again, this situation is the product of a failure to plan that has resulted in a plan for failure.
Do we all deserve this? No!
How can we attract good staff if the primary purpose of the BOS is to entrench themselves and compensate themselves for repeated failure of management. Anywhere else this situation would be a reason to recall them all. Just tone deaf and dumb.
Of course mcgory’s going to want this because it’ll put him at a higher retirement rate when he’s done!!! Truly disgusting. Their public is struggling. The budget is just stack upon stack of lies and denies. Every time that they are called on their actions oh we figured it out oh it’s really not that bad oh it’s going to be okay. They have no shame. They’re horrible humans to even consider doing this in times of such Strife a huge raise like that their employees kit a dollar an hour raise if Lucky that might work out too a few thousand dollars more a year. This level of raises unheard of and they think they earned it they’re laughing all the way to the bank and you know nobody’s going to stop this runaway train from getting approved they will stamp and say next.
Truly hope you will all be in attendance at the BOS meeting! So glad to see some people do their homework and willing to back it up! See you tomorrow!
Keep spending we won’t have a pot to piss in ,we have to balance our budgets why can’t you? I for one think it is ludicrous.
Raises for everybody but McGourty, who can never be bothered to read anything before the meeting starts
They voted today to give themselves raises, all but Williams.
Did you think they wouldn’t vote for their own raises. They do not care what we think. My only suggestion to those who are not making a living wage is to leave the county and work elsewhere. We don’t have the tax base to afford paying county employees a living wage. We need to welcome more development, businesses, and bigger corporations. Make it easy for businesses to come here vs Santa Rosa or the Bay Area. It seems we shun any growth, but we cannot continue down this path. Our community is slowly dying.
Maybe the voters should way in on this. The unions could help recruit signature gatherers.
Elected grifters. I blame us the victims. Vote out all incumbents. Remember in November
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, of course, voted to give themselves raises. We all need to vote them out of office!