OXNARD : City Clerk Donates Bonus to Charities

Oxnard City Clerk Daniel Martinez on Monday announced donations of $2,750--roughly 5% of his salary--to a handful of local charitable organizations.

Martinez, who pledged the money days after he was elected last November, said he was surprised to learn that most city executives receive bonuses of 5% or more each year. He said he learned of the benefit a few days after beating incumbent Mabi Plisky.

“To me that was kind of a hidden perk there,” Martinez said Monday. “I didn’t even know about this particular perk until I got into office.”

Martinez said he initially tried to get the perks package put into the basic compensation package, but the council would not agree to it. He said he next attempted to refuse the money, but was advised by the city attorney that he had no alternative.

Martinez said he donated $250 each to the Carnegie Art Museum, the Casa Latina Recovery House and the Children’s Activity Center.

He also reported $500 donations to the Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Assn., the Boys & Girls Club of Oxnard, El Concilio del Condado de Ventura and the Friends of the Oxnard Library.

Felicity Harper, president of the library support group, said Martinez’s donation would come in handy.

“We are specifically saving for a video security system for the library,” she said. “But he didn’t have anything in particular in mind that he wanted us to do with the money, so we’re going to be discussing it at our next meeting.”