Supervisors Give Thomas 7% Pay Hike
The Board of Supervisors raised Orange County Administrative Officer Robert E. Thomas’ salary Wednesday from $78,520 to $84,427 annually, even though he is scheduled to retire in less than a month and was strongly criticized by the board last July.
Board members said they approved the 7.52% pay hike because a study of Thomas’ office is expected to show that he has streamlined his staff and has increased his contacts with county supervisors as recommended in a board-initiated audit of his operations last year.
Supervisors said the raise, retroactive to July 1, will have a significant effect on Thomas’ retirement pension, which is based mostly on the highest salary he has earned in any year during the 17 years he has served as the county administrative officer.
Specific pension figures were not available from the county personnel office.
Thomas, 64, was passed over when other county administrators were given similar raises last July.
Thomas oversees the county’s $1-billion budget and helps determine which matters come before county supervisors at their weekly meetings.
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