Left In Lowell

Give Bernie is Well Deserved Raise

by Mimi at 10:59 am.

Most Saturday’s as I am reading Kendall Wallace’s column, my reaction is WHAT? But not today. He is right on target.

Wallace endorses a pay raise for City Manager Bernie Lynch and he presents a series of arguments why the City Council should do the right thing not only for the City Manager but more importantly for the City.

Warren Shaw, on his Saturday morning radio show on WCAP, has been promoting giving Bernie a raise for two weeks now. Not only because it is the fair thing to do but he points out that it is damaging to the image of the City.

Last week’s the CC began the process of evaluating the City Manager. There is an ordinance that requires the CC to do that; an appropriate pay raise for the CEO of the City should be enthusiastically supported by this CC. As much as some of them talk about the “poor tax payer,” I did not hear any objections to the pay raises in all of the contracts they approve. I did not hear any objections to the pay raises they approved in the FY 2009 budget.

By the way, Wallace reminds us that Bernie has not received a raise since he arrived here two years ago; he makes substantially less than CM’s in cities’ comparable to Lowell; he makes substantially less than the School Superintendent who was given a $170,000/year salary and as a 5% increase written in her contract. If the Mayor thought that she was worth this much money, I wonder how much money he thinks Bernie should get.

If the CC members are really concerned about the “poor tax payers,” they will acknowledge that we are on the right track, that this guy works as hard as anyone who has ever sat in the CM chair and that he has brought a higher standard of government to City Hall.

I think it would be politically damaging to any City Council member to challenge a pay raise for Bernie. He is popular guy. The only ones who complain about him are those who believe that they should be members of a cabinet, and that they should be consulted on every issue; and of course, those who have lost their “access.” Too bad, this City has over 105,000 people living in it and he has been hired to administer the government of those people, not the selected few.

Not only should the CC give him an appropriate raise but they should give him a performance bonus.

[Filed under Local politics, City Council] [link]

12 Responses to “Give Bernie is Well Deserved Raise”

waittilnextyr Says:
August 16th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I believe that the salary is limited by ordinance, so an ordinance change will be required before any salary increase can be awarded by the council. I think an increase in the maximum to $175,000 (currently $145,000) would be the proper change to the ordinance, but that the council should only award a portion of that increase this year. With so many things in process for the City, it would be wise to retain the management for the sake of continuity, and his excellent job performance to date certainly warrants an increase. The higher number ($175K) gives some room for future increases based on continued progress on important projects and the fiscal health of the City.
Lynne Says:
August 16th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Agreed, with both Mimi and waittil.
Eleanor Rigby Says:
August 16th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Let me preface this by saying Lynch has done an amazing job especially given the fiscal condition he inherited. Yes he deserves a raise.

That said, now is not the time to do it. I know the arguments, and I also read the Wallace article in which he points out the salaries of the CMs in Cambridge and Worcester. To follow that line of thinking what Wallace did NOT point out is that Boston Mayor Menino earns $175k. So before the folks who say Lynch is CEO of a Multi-Million dollar corporation and where can you get leadership like that, Menino is the CEO of a Multi-Billion dollar corporation. What would that make Lynch or Menino worth if you compare the two?

The Sun is very good at supporting increases in executive salary and pointing to surrounding or similar communities…of course when it comes to backing the rank and file union stiffs that work, that’s different given their anti-union bent.

All that said, that’s not the reason to say no. The reason to say no is in the newspaper every day. Homes in Lowell are being foreclosed on at a record level, people are struggling. So to give someone earning a good wage to begin with even more money that those folks are paying for is just wrong.

Now is not the time.
Fran McDougall Says:
August 16th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I’m in favor of an increase in the Manager’s salary only if there is a clause in which he agrees to returning to Chelmsford in two years!!
Lowell Guy Says:
August 17th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I agree with you. Usually, whenever Kendall Wallace says anything, I shake my head in disbelief that he thinks we are all so stupid that we would actually listen to him, let alone believe him.

Finally, he has stopped bashing the SC, Karla, Jackie, etc. to say something with some substance. I guess even a blind squirrel misses the car every now and then.

Now, if he would only talk about his little boy Gary and the LHA, and the supposed sweetheart deal little Gary is going to be getting, I would be all ears.
Mr. Inside Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 8:58 am
As an aside, has anyone seen the subcommitte schedule for tomorrow night? Talk about spreading out the schedule to give more time for the important work:

Tuesday August 19, 2008 @ 4:00PM the Tsongas Arena Ad/Hoc Sub/Committee, City Hall, Council Chamber RE: Operations at the Arena

Tuesday August 19, 2008 @ 5:30PM the Auditor/Clerk Oversight Sub/Committee, City Hall, Council Chamber RE: Auditor/Clerk Performance Evaluations

Tuesday August 19, 2008 @ 5:30PM Joint Meeting of the Environmental Sub/Committee and the Neighborhood/Traffic/Recycling & Utility Issues Sub/Committee, City Hall, Council Chamber RE: Proposed Ordinance-Refuse/Recycling

TUESDAY AUGUST 19, 2008 @ 6:30PM, PERSONNEL SUB/COMMITTEE, City Hall, Council Chamber, RE: Begin process of City Manager’s Review

One meeting at 4, which will run late; into two meetings at 5:30; into another meeting at 6:30. WOW!
K-R-S Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 9:19 am
And of course, this type of scheduling will allow “the people”, more time to speak their peace. (I jest…)
Lynne Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 9:25 am
I knew this was going to happen - thanks Mr. Inside for posting that.
Eleanor Rigby Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
“…Tuesday August 19, 2008 @ 5:30PM the Auditor/Clerk Oversight Sub/Committee, City Hall, Council Chamber RE: Auditor/Clerk Performance Evaluations

Tuesday August 19, 2008 @ 5:30PM Joint Meeting of the Environmental Sub/Committee and the Neighborhood/Traffic/Recycling & Utility Issues Sub/Committee, City Hall, Council Chamber RE: Proposed Ordinance-Refuse/Recycling…”

Is it me or are these TWO subcommittees scheduled to meet at the SAME TIME AND PLACE?
joe from Lowell Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
This “poor taxpayer” thinks that an extra 5 or ten grand would be peanuts compared to a repeat of the Stoklosa School debacle.
Lynne Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
OMG joe right on!
kpem Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Bernie deserves more than any other CM’S for the job that he is doing. Think about who we elected for him to work with??? Give him his raise. My co-workers/employers are from the Newton-Wellesley area and they talk about him and the job he does. Let’s keep him here.

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August 16, 2008

Give Bernie is Well Deserved Raise

12 Responses to “Give Bernie is Well Deserved Raise”

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