With thousands of dollars on the line, Greeley’s city manager, attorney and municipal judge deferred raises amid COVID-19
By Kelly Ragan
Greeley’s city manager, attorney and municipal judge were all up for salary increases amounting to thousands of dollars, but they didn’t take it – not yet anyway.
Sharon McCabe, the city’s human resources director, said all three asked to defer raises amid the economic strain and uncertainty caused by COVID-19.
“All three of our direct reports were performing in exemplary fashion,” said Greeley Mayor John Gates at the city council meeting Tuesday. “All three of those individuals, of their own volition, stepped up to say they wanted to defer.”
The move comes after the city announced it would temporarily lay off at least 289 seasonal, hourly employees at the March 31 city council meeting. At the meeting, McCabe said those employees were set to get about two weeks of severance pay.
As it stands, Greeley’s city manager, Roy Otto, earns a base salary of $238,167.
Otto stood 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 compensation.
Marek was 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 compensation of $154,760. Gonzales was up for a 4% raise, or about $6,190, which would have brought his total salary up to $160,950.
Council noted his “knowledge of the law is evident.”
At the March 17 meeting, Councilmember Tommy Butler moved to table the vote on the raises in order to better asses the city’s COVID-19 response, but the motion failed.