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PUBLIC WORKS / PERSONNEL / ADMINISTRATION - Chief Administrator Gabriel Hydrick
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Requested Action(s)
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a) AGREEMENT - Request approval and authorization for the Chair to sign an Employment Agreement with Danny Newton for the position of Director of Public Works, effective 7/1/26 through 6/30/30
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Financial Impact:
The total salary, benefits, and roll-up costs for the first year of the Employment Agreement for the Director of Public Works at Step E is estimated to range from approximately $308,558 to $321,191.
Background Information:
A competitive recruitment was conducted six times for the position of Director of Public Works and Mr. Newton has been selected by the Board of Supervisors as the most qualified applicant. As a result, the salary, benefits, and all terms and conditions are contained in the proposed Employment Agreement for Board consideration.
Under the proposed Employment Agreement, $1,000 per month of Mr. Newton’s annual salary shall be allocated, for accounting purposes, to the duties performed by Newton in the capacity of Road Commissioner, with the remaining salary allocated to duties performed as Director of Public Works. In addition, Mr. Newton shall receive an additional $1,000 per month in recognition of his possession of a valid Professional Engineering License issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists.
If Mr. Newton obtains a Professional Land Surveyor License issued by the same licensing authority within the first year of the Employment Agreement, he shall receive an immediate 5% increase to his base salary. Upon completion of one full year of possessing such license, he will receive an additional 5% increase to his base salary. If Mr. Newton does not obtain a Professional Land Surveyor License within the first year of the Employment Agreement, he shall receive a 5% increase to his base salary effective the first day of the second year of the Employment Agreement in recognition of continued possession of a valid Professional Engineering License. Should he obtain the Professional Land Surveyor License at a later date, he shall receive a 5% increase to his base salary upon completion of one full year of possessing the license. This wage rate increase shall not exceed 10% above the base salary.
Benefits contained within the Employment Agreement include a $60 per month cell phone allowance; 240 hours of Personal Time Off (PTO) per year, with 100 hours of PTO frontloaded at time of hire and the ability to cash-out 60 hours per calendar year consistent with the provisions outlined in the Tehama County Management Employees Association (TCMEA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); 40 hours of Management Time Off per fiscal year; one (1) personal holiday per fiscal year; Parental Leave; Bereavement Leave, and participation in County sponsored Deferred Compensation plan on the same terms as employees in the TCMEA.
Additionally, the proposed Employment Agreement clarifies Mr. Newton is considered a local miscellaneous member of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), and a "classic” employee as defined in the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 and stipulates Mr. Newton shall participate in the CalPERS 2% at 55 defined benefit program. Mr. Newton will be required to pay the employee member contribution equal to seven percent (7%) of his compensation up to the maximum limit established by CalPERS. The County will not pay any portion of this contribution on behalf of Mr. Newton.
This is a contract, overtime-exempt position. In the event the County of Tehama agrees to a percentage increase in salary on or after the effective date of this contract, for all classifications represented by TCMEA, Mr. Newton’s salary will be increased by an equal percentage.
Should the Board not approve the proposed Employment Agreement with Mr. Newton, the County will lose the opportunity to appoint a highly qualified candidate to the position of Director of Public Works.