Agoura Hills budget includes a raise for embattled city manager





The City of Agoura Hills adopted a budget that includesa5percentpayraiseforCityManager GregRamirezanda3percentraiseforallothercity employees. The budget went into effect on July 1.

The $20.9-million budget for fiscal year 2012- 13 includes approximately $18 million for day-today operations and almost $3 million for capital improvement projects, including the widening of Agoura Road and the Chesebro interchange.

Ramirez’s base annual salary rose from $ 191,770 to $201,360.

Ramirez ran into hot water in 2009 when he commissioned a city worker to perform landscaping duties at his private Thousand Oaks residence. Ramirez’s hiring of a municipal worker for personal gain and alleged improper use of city funds led to a lawsuit against Agoura Hills.

In addition to the raise in pay, the city agreed to contribute an additional $24,425 toward its employees’ healthcare premiums due to higher rates.

Agoura Hills resident Meril Platzer asked the City Council to reconsider the raise for Ramirez and the city employees, and said that as a private physician she has not received a pay raise in 10 years.

“We’re setting a bad precedent. Agoura Hills wants more raises, Calabasas wants more raises and Westlake Village wants more raises. It may be a small increase, but it’s going to snowball. I’m just appalled and wanted to get that across,” Platzer said.

The council also approved $8,504 for a six-month extension of a Waste Management program that collects used oil and household hazardous waste materials.

City officials received a notice in May from the waste disposal company informing them the program fee would rise 51 percent beginning in July due to new mandates from the Department of Toxic Substances Control for the processing of used oil and antifreeze.

The notice also said part of the fee hike was due to staffing and administration cost increases.

The council decided to reduce the hazardous waste collections at the city hall parking lot from monthly to bimonthly. The program is free for residents of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu and Westlake Village.

A resolution was also passed that will allow each City Council member to receive tickets worth up to $420 a year for local events. The tickets or passes will not be considered gifts unless they exceed $420 in value annually for each council member.

When elected officials attend local events it helps to strengthen the relationship between the city and its residents, City Councilmember Illece Buckley Weber said.

“ I don’t like the idea of limiting one ticket per council member each year just because if there’s a particular council member who can go to an event or wants to go to an event—as long as they stay within the limit of $420—I think it’s a great thing for the community,” Weber said.

The city also approved a $4,450 increase to the general fund to used for traffic personnel, school crossing guards, animal control services and youth drug education programs.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *