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Cambria general manager to get a 38 percent pay increase

April 25, 2016
Cambria General Manager Jerry Gruber

Cambria General Manager Jerry Gruber

By KAREN VELIE

Less then two months after the implementation of a 116 percent water and sewer rate increase, the Cambria Community Services District is planning to approve a set of staggered pay hikes of 38 percent for its general manager.

In June 2011, the board voted to make Jerry Gruber its general manager at a salary of $150,000 a year plus benefits. If the board approves Gruber’s new contract at Thursday’s board meeting, it will raise his annual salary by July 2020 to $221,984, or with benefits to about $310,778 a year.

Over a nine-year period, Gruber’s income will have increase by 48 percent. Gruber manages a district that provides water, sewer, fire protection, lighting, trash, and parks, recreation to about 6,000 residents.

If the new contract is approved, Gruber will receive two retroactive pay increases of 4 percent, one going back to Jul 1, 2015 and the other to Jan. 1, 2016. On July 1, 2015, Gruber will get another 5 percent raise followed by 5 percent raises every July 1 through 2020.

And while retroactive pay increases back to the point negotiations began appear to be legal, going back further may violate Article 11 of the California Constitution. Closed session discussions regarding Gruber’s salary began in January 2016.

“A local government body may not grant extra compensation or extra allowance to a public officer, public employee, or contractor after service has been rendered or a contract has been entered into and performed in whole or in part, or pay a claim under an agreement made without authority of law,” according to Article 11 Section 10.

Because of financial shortfalls, the district raised its water and sewage rates in March by 116 percent. Under the new formula, the bimonthly bill for residents who use about 50 gallons of water a day, increased from $23.82 to $51.50.

The board will meet at 12:30 p.m. on April 28 to vote on Gruber’s proposed pay raises.


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With that kind if salary I wonder if Pavo Ogren will be moving to Cambria.


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Dave Congalton has asked me to come on his show Wednesday at 4:00pm to discuss. Please tune in and call. 805-543-8830 http://www.920kvec.com


My thoughts on the subject start here:


I have been watching Cambria closely and have seen a great amount of discord over water rates, sewer rates and most importantly concerns over funding its fire and emergency services. To think there’s discretionary money available to fund these increases to Gruber without regard to fund fire personnel or much needed equipment is outrageous! Where are this district’s priorities?


Oh and thanks a lot Cambria CSD — not only will this salary and benefit package increase your service rates, it will increase all other CSD’s rates because you are letting Gruber move the bar up for all CSD GM salaries.


I made this ‘moving the bar’ argument when Paavo Ogren was appointed by the Oceano CSD in 2014. His salary then was $196,000 annually, he was given a $5,000 increase his first year and is due a second $5,000 increase this July. For the record, $5,000 is not 5%, as Gruber is slated to get. 5% is considerably more (and each year it compounds; resulting in even more).


To contrast Paavo and Gruber:


Paavo is doing two jobs. I objected then because he overstated the salary of the accountant position he was absorbing so the pay out to OCSD is an increase over that when there were two people working in those positions. Their decision to pay Paavo more for the accountant position will plague the district into the future. He is going to reduce his GM pay come July (after his PRES is sweetened) when he hires a new accountant/office manager for $X, he will retain the difference for his salary suggesting a neutral impact to the district. Oceano is a community of 7,600 people.


Gruber, on the other hand, has a full staff. He has an administrative assistant and a qualified accountant. He’s also got a Public Information Officer ($1,000 a month) and a lobbyist ($10,000 a month) doing the work he should be handling as part of his position. Cambria is a community of 6,000 people.


I encourage the Cambria citizens to participate in their Board meeting Thursday. If they can’t attend they should be emailing their entire board to get them to rethink this move.


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Agreed! I can name several very qualified individuals who have CSD experience who would do the job for half the compensation offered. And a very good manager, with the size staff that Cambria has, could easily do the job on a part time contract for a quarter of the salary. A community the size of Cambria does not need a manager that is paid on the “City of Bell” model. Does this guy have pictures of the Cambria Board members in compromising situations?


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Ouch!


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Wouldn’t you like to know…


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Arroyo Grande had Councilmember Ed Arnold and his pictures from swinger parties…

They had the drinker with a naked running problem, Councilmember Caren Ray…

Tea (highly caffeinated green) party City Manager Steve Adams and his female subordinate…

It’s about time the north county gets a little action.


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I hope the people of Cambria are so outraged that they attend the board meeting this week and wage a massive protest. This is ridiculous.


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Felon with gun flees police in _________________ neighborhood,


Whooops wrong article same problem !


https://goo.gl/f0Esoe


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that is the 1st step


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Here are the current CSD board members up in Cambria.


It is staggering that such a motion is even being considered.


Hopefully the good people of Cambria will let their voices be heard prior to Thursday.


Gail Robinette President 927-6235 (District Clerk) board@cambriacsd.org

Michael Thompson Vice President 927-6235 (District Clerk) board@cambriacsd.org

Jim Bahringer Director 927-6235 (District Clerk) board@cambriacsd.org

Amanda Rice Director 927-6235 (District Clerk) board@cambriacsd.org

Gregory Sanders Director 927-6235 (District Clerk) board@cambriacsd.org


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This is a perfect example of why CSD’s DON’T work. It’s a license to steal.


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So let’s get this right for Cambria (and most other communities in California). Water Conservation is enacted, users use less water, revenue still needed for operational costs, increase rates, then it rains, people use a little more water, the rates stay in place and the manager gets a BIG RAISE.


Why can’t these water companies/districts impose a shortfall fee during the drought and then when it rains the “fee” goes away. It can be based on the usage but it would be broken out so it can then be removed instead of staying in place FOREVER and then someone gets a big fat raise. Also, be assured that all staff will be or have gotten a raise as well!


Watch the benefit package, these are usually hidden with more time off, car allowance, cell phone, gym membership, etc. (You should see what Atascadero Manager gets).


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Aside form the manager pay stuff:


I’m confused…..”users use less water, revenue still needed for operational costs, increase rates, then it rains, people use a little more water, the rates stay in place.”


I’m confused. How does it raining—what, it happed once or twice with a tidbit of water—make people think that solved the water problem—so, theoretically they can use MORE water? Maybe they need to pay more attention to the CSD meetings! Correct me if I am wrong, be we are NOT out of the drought!


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If one only listened to bureaucrats, we’d be in danger from various things in perpetuity. These people only know how to try and frighten people out of their money, it’s a scam (whether there is a drought or not, or some other “emergency”).


We will not run out of water, we sit next to an ocean. We may, however, run out of money (we actually have, but that’s a whole ‘nudder conversation about a rigged system).


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So now, the general manager of the Cambria Community Services District will be making much more than the Governor of the State of California. Somebody, please tell me how this can be justified?


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You know what they say. Haters gonna hate!


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How can this possibly be justifiable?

What will they pay the next person to fill this position, $500,000/yr?

When/where does it end?


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It doesn’t end until we get up off our sofas.


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Cambria residents – this means YOU!


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I thought the minimum wage is $15 per hour? Whoops, this is not a wage this is a prize.


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