Des Moines’ top appointed executive will make $337,563 after City Council members narrowly voted for an increase.
In a 5-2 vote, City Council members on Monday, July 13, approved a 3% raise for Des Moines City Manager Scott Sanders, as well as City Attorney Jeffrey Lester and City Clerk Laura Baumgartner. Lester and Baumgartner will make $264,472 and $151,528, respectively, according to the City Council agenda.
Council members Rob Barron and Josh Mandelbaum voted against the raise, pointing to a looming $12 million deficit projected in the coming fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2027, and an additional $5 million gap the following year.
“We’re on the front end of cutting millions of dollars from our budget and excising people’s jobs. People aren’t going to be working for this city anymore,” Barron said.
Barron and Mandelbaum said they had concerns over a 6.5% retention bonus for the city manager and attorney, as well as longevity pay, which is based on the number of years the employee has worked for the city. The program has ended, but employees who were eligible for the program remain eligible, city officials said.
The retention bonus is based on the base salary.
“That’s excessive, and I can’t support that,” Barron said.
The raises were recommended by the City Council’s Personnel Subcommittee, which includes Mayor Connie Boesen and council members Mike Simonson and Carl Voss.
Simonson said he believed the committee did its due diligence in its review of the positions.
“I’m quite comfortable where we are. This is the most important position in the city. Having had to hire people, high-paid people, you get what you pay for,” Simonson said.
Council member Joe Gatto praised Sanders, Lester and Baumgartner’s work. He cautioned council members that replacing the positions would be costly.
“I would say we get what we pay for, and you can look at the Des Moines Public Schools and see what the leadership that they’ve had and how many changes they’ve had since he’s been sitting in this seat,” Gatto said, pointing to Sanders, in response to pushback from Barron. “And the mess that they’ve been in.”
Pay for the city manager, attorney and clerk has increased 3.5% on average over the past five years, Boesen wrote to the Des Moines Register over email.
Boesen and City Council members voted against respective 16% and 9% pay raises during a City Council meeting on June 30, citing the city’s budget challenges.
(This story has been updated to correct information.)
Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines and Polk County government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: DSM City Council split on pay raises for city manager, attorney
Reporting by Virginia Barreda, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Virginia Barreda, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
