Greeley city council will vote this month whether to retroactively raise salaries for the city manager, city attorney, and municipal judge
By Kelly Ragan
Back in April, Greeley’s city manager, city attorney and municipal judge deferred raises. That move came after the city announced it would temporarily lay off at least 289 seasonal, hourly employees due to COVID-19 financial concerns.
Later this month, city council will once again discuss those raises. According to city documents, council will discuss the possibility of retroactively adjusting the three salaries.
In April 2020, Mayor John Gates said all three city employees came forward of their own volition to defer the raises – set by market standards and awarded by merit – due to the economic crisis at hand.
Greeley’s city manager, Roy Otto, currently earns a base salary of $238,167.
Otto stands to receive a 3.5% pay increase, or about $8,336, bringing the total salary up to $246,503.
In his annual performance review, city council noted Otto “is a strong, strategic city manager who has exceptionally strong morals and values. He has gone the extra mile to bring about regional collaboration with neighboring communities in the area of water and other issues of mutual interest.”
Greeley’s city attorney, Doug Marek earns $205,164 as an annual base salary.
Marek is up for a 7% salary increase, or about $14,361 for a total salary of $219,525.
The council noted Marek “is, and had been, an excellent city attorney. He manages a fairly large office in a strategic and organized fashion.”
Greeley’s municipal judge, Mark Gonzales, earns an annual base salary of $154,760. Gonzales is up for a 4% raise, or about $6,190, which would have bring his total salary up to $160,950.
Council noted his “knowledge of the law is evident.”
According to city documents, “the city council feels that it is appropriate to now consider the deferred 2020 compensation increase” for the employees.
City council will hold a public hearing and final reading on January 19.
For more
For more information on how to watch Greeley city council meetings or participate during public comment, go to https://greeleygov.com/government/council.