WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The following information is a summary of items discussed at the August 2, 2023 West Sacramento City Council Meeting, after closed session, land acknowledgment and the Pledge of Allegiance.

PUBLIC COMMENT – 1. Guy Stevenson referred to the new employment contract between the City and City Manager, and asked why bonuses aren’t being handed out to city employees such as public work who works in the rain, etc.? Why is it only the highly paid and lead positions that are getting bonuses? He asked

2. Hossein Edalati, from West Sacramento Soccer Club invited the City Council to attend an upcoming event that the club will be hosting on August 26th.

3. Mike Sanchez spoke about the needed patrol and enforcement around the Broderick Boat Ramp, the River Walk and the surrounding area. He said that he walks that area regularly and is often exposed to open drug use, sales and paraphernalia, campfires, weekenders (people that show up on Thursdays and don’t leave until Mondays), discharging firearms, reckless driving, people being harassed during walks and are afraid for their safety, drinking and fighting.

4. Representatives (2 little girls and an adult) from West Sac Girls Softball expressed the need for a parking lot that they would like built in the middle of the park between the Little League and the Softball League. He explained that recently a softball tournament (of 20 teams) in Roseville brought in $1.25 million dollars to the city through restaurants, hotels and spending at other local businesses. West Sac recently hosted a tournament (of 12 teams) that brought in 600 guests and the Softball League had to rent the parking lots from two schools and from Holy Cross Church. He also spoke about the Girls Softball having been left out of the Bryte Park Master Plan and expressed the need for a softball complex.

5. Annie Lightfoot spoke about her concern of the inaccuracy of the 6 months of City Council Meeting Minutes that will be up for approval. She listed several items that she witnessed being discussed and public comments that she witnessed that were not in the minutes. She questioned the accuracy and urged the City Council not to approve the six months’ worth of minutes.

6. Robin Davis spoke to the Council about the issue that tiny homeowners are having on their own property because they are being told that since the tiny homes are on wheels, they are considered a mobile home and must be parked in a mobile home or RV park. She lives in a tiny home on her own, undeveloped land and would like for the city to update their policies because she says that tiny homes are not “upscaled homelessness.” They are a choice. She suggested a workshop be held for the community so that acceptable changes can be made.

7. Tim Campbell, President of Local 18, requested the members of the City Council that are also members of the Port Commission, to “Please! Schedule meetings and workshops with the workers, union and SSA and share the plan for the port.” In addition he offered that they all work together and asked for transparency. And for help! Tim said that Mayor Martha Guerrero and County Supervisor, Oscar Villegas, have reached out to them for answers to questions but there is still no transparency and no port commission meetings. They need them because there are “huge port issues going on.” He also asked why our town has not requested any type of grant money while the government is giving out millions to ports right now.

8. Mayor Guerrero called up city staff, expressing her concern as to why there was no reference to public comments in the meeting minutes.

Next came the only item on the agenda… the employment contract between the City and City Manager, Aaron Laurel. The adjusted contract lists several amendments. The council discussed the changes and their concerns about them before voting on the changes. The changes were all or none. They were not allowed to change parts of contract that they disagreed with.

Changes approved in the employment contract between the City of West Sacramento and City Manager Aaron Laurel include: a 3% raise in pay, to be paid by the city’s general fund, the port and the measure G fund (totaling $7,821 for 2023/24 and $8,181 for 2024/25 , in addition, when he gives a raise to the city employees that are unrepresented (Police, Fire, Engineers) he will also receive that raise. It will also include an amendment saying that if he were asked to voluntarily vacate the job, he will have a 6 month period of time to vacate, where he will be paid regular wages. He will also receive (in a lump sum) twelve months of severance pay $276,555 in addition to the payment for his benefits (Cobra payments), also to be given in a lump sum.

Mayor Guerrero stated that this would mean that if the city manager were to be fired, the residents of West Sacramento would be paying for two City Managers and two Assistant City Managers. She reminded the Council that they are not there to represent Laurel, or each other. They are there to represent the wellbeing and wishes of the West Sacramento Community. The council members all agreed on the talent and hard work that Aaron Laurel has exuded. They didn’t, however, agree on the business aspect of the contract.

During Public Comment on this item Ashley McCarthy stated that she was always taught that if someone gets fired from their job, “it’s time to put on your boots and go find a new one.” She also questioned the severance package, saying “if you’re fired you do not continue getting the benefits you received for working.” Lastly, Ashley said that “if he (City Manager) is getting extra pay because he has the added job of the port, then he needs to do that job and if he is not going to hold meetings, apply for money and provide transparency to the workers, then the council needs to reconsider giving him the extra money.”

The ladies of the City Council all took a chance to speak about their thoughts on the contract. They all agree that Laurel’s performance has earned him the pay raise.  Councilwoman Norma Alcala said that it is standard practice to offer a severance of 1-2 weeks of pay for every year that the employee was employed, and that “it was irresponsible to agree to the other amendments.”

Dawnte Early asked questions about the contract as though she were not entirely comfortable with the contract. Although she brought up that unlike other City Managers in the area, Laurel is responsible for the levees and the port. She spoke about the respect that city staff has for Laurel and fears leadership in our city may change if he left. Therefore she believes it should all be kept as incentive to stay.

Verna Hull read her statement about the topic. This made people in the audience very uncomfortable with how genuine she felt about it.  She spoke of the incredible team he has developed and that he has been executing the vision of the city council.

Mayor Pro Tem Orozco spoke about other cities wanting him and that he could easily go elsewhere for more money. She spoke of hard decisions he has had to make for the betterment of the city. And that by including all of the amendments it will only “bring him from number seven to number six” on the rate of pay scale in comparison to nearby cities. She brought up that while building up our city, he has brought down our debt.

Mayor Guerrero said that she did, in fact, compare cities in the area, but there are many more aspects besides population when comparing wages for this job.  She said that a six-month cooling off period seems excessive for changing jobs. There are other changes that she would have liked to include but not the way it is written. She mentioned that firefighters have to pay out of their own pocket for certain medical screen, such as cancer screening due to toxins they are exposed to when working and so she can’t see paying a year of medical after he left. She believes that there are too many items that need to be taken care of in the city, and that she would like to see that extra money go to those issues.

The item passed with a 3 – 2 vote.