Ventura approves pay increases for City Manager Alex McIntyre, City Attorney Alex Heglund

The Ventura City Council approved raises for City Manager Alex McIntyre and City Attorney Alex Heglund.

Each is set to receive a 5% cost-of-living increase and a one-time lump sum worth 1.75% of their salary. The pay increases mirror those granted to several unions that recently settled salary negotiations with the city.

Councilmembers approved the increases at their Aug. 1 regular meeting. Councilmember Mike Johnson voted against the raise, noting that the council already approved a 2% merit increase for McIntyre in March.

"I appreciate that other employees got a cost-of-living adjustment, and I realize inflation is crazy right now but you know a couple of months ago, we gave the city manager a raise," Johnson said.

The argument did not sway the other five council members, who all voted in support. Councilwoman Lorrie Brown was absent from the meeting.

McIntyre's annual salary will increase from more than $280,000 to more than $294,000. He will also receive a lump sum of more than $5,200, said Danielle Keys, human resources director.

Heglund's annual salary will rise from $237,000 to more than $248,800. He will earn a lump sum of more than $4,300, Keys said.

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The estimated increases for McIntyre and Heglund will cost the city more than $43,700, which includes the lump sum payment of more than $9,500 and more than $7,700 in benefit costs for their retirement through California Public Employees' Retirement System, Medicare and workers' compensation, Keys said.

McIntyre and Heglund also receive $500 per month in automobile allowance, Keys said. They have four weeks of vacation, two weeks of administrative leave and 48 hours of sick leave each year.

Other employee groups also received increases last month. A July 11 agreement was reached between the city and 77 unrepresented employees and the Service Employees International Union, Local 721, which represent 264 employees for a 5% increase to their base pay and a one-time payment of 1.75% of their salary.

The SEIU represents a wide range of workers and supervisors in parks, public works, information technology and other departments. The unrepresented workers include executives, management and police and fire recruit groups.

The city will pay more than $3.1 million for the raises, according to its own estimates.

Agreements between the city and the Ventura City Firefighters Association and the Ventura Fire Management Association were approved on July 25. Both groups received a 5.5% increase to their base pay and a payment of 1.75% of their salary. Ventura will pay more than $1.1 million for the increases.

The city is currently in negotiations with its other unions: the Ventura Maintenance Employees’ Association, Ventura Police Officers’ Association and Ventura Police Management Association, Keys said.

The agreements will be presented to the City Council for approval once negotiations have concluded.

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura manager Alex McIntyre, attorney Alex Heglund get raises