SAN CLEMENTE : City Manager Rejects His 5% Pay Raise

City Manager Michael W. Parness has offered to return a controversial pay raise approved by the City Council two weeks ago.

Following his annual performance review on Dec. 4, the council voted 4 to 1 to give Parness the same 5% cost-of-living increase that other city employees received this year, adding $5,000 to his $99,000 annual salary.

The decision drew much outcry from residents angered that the council would approve such a raise when the city faces an estimated $2.5-million budget deficit next year.

In a letter to the council, Parness--city manager since 1989--asked the council to defer the raise “to a point in the future when you deem reconsideration appropriate.” The council is scheduled to give final ratification to the raise today. . Parness said controversy about the raise has diverted too much attention from the city’s serious budget woes.

“To allow this situation to continue would not be in the best interests of the council, the public or the city manager,” Parness stated.

Councilwoman Candace Haggard has already announced that she would be reversing her earlier decision and join Councilman Thomas Lorch in voting against the raise. Lorch was the only council member to vote against the raise two weeks ago.

Haggard made her announcement at a special meeting held last week to form a citizens committee to explore cost-cutting measures.

At that time, Councilmen Truman Benedict and Scott Diehl said they would support the raise despite the criticism.

Mayor Joseph Anderson said Monday that he would support Parness’ request to put the raise on hold because the issue has become “a major diversion.”.

“I support his request,” Anderson said. “Obviously, what he is trying to do is remove this as a major issue in the community so we can put our attention on the serious budget matters that deserve and require our attention. What this raise has done is take attention away from those serious matters.”