Paul Arevalo: A City Manager's Performance Anxiety

West Hollywood City Manager, Paul Arevalo

When it comes to community, it is important that we all share in voicing our concerns over how chosen leaders and employees perform in their capacity on a scheduled basis.  It is now time for the West Hollywood City Manager, Paul Arevalo, to have his job performance reviewed by the Council this evening, Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 6:30pm in the 1st floor Community Room of City Hall.  Sniff, sniff, I smell Bell Hell coming down the street.

This meeting is not under the Brown Act, as Mr. Arevalo is an employee and is entitle to have a closed session meeting versus a review in front of the public, per se.  Hence, public opinion most definitely can be expressed during this time while being heard by the Council.  What other times do we have to focus on discussion surrounding the performance or the lack there of, of Mr. Arevalo.  

When reviewing the 2011-2012 Budget submitted by Mr. Arevalo, it is noted the City Manager manages to make $568,402 in salary with fringes covering retirement, social security and payroll taxes.  With such a small city reaching 1.9 miles of area, I have to question the exorbitant amount being paid to this hired official overseeing the community at large?

As I have stated before, there is a sense of Bell going on in West Hollywood.  The Sacramento Bee points to its database where you can look up various salaries of California City Managers.

Created with Caspio

Definitions for the Detail Salary Report:

Pension Formula: Shows the amount a city manager gets upon retirement based on salary and years of service. For instance, a city manager retiring at 55 after 30 years of service in a "2 @ 55" plan would get 60 percent of her salary in annual pension benefits.

Employer Retirement Contribution: Any amount of the employee’s share of pension contribution paid by the employer.

Deferred Compensation: Any amount the employer contributed to a deferred compensation plan, such as a 401(k) style plan, on behalf of the employee.

Back in August of 2010, the Los Angeles Times wrote an article revealing the fact Weho's salary for City Manager makes it the highest per capita salary in the country, "The Times analysis found cities with more residents and larger budgets tended to pay their chief executives more, but the exceptions were more notable than the rule. West Hollywood, a city of 36,000, had one of the county’s highest payouts: Paul Arevalo earned $285,496 last year."  Not only was Arevalo's 2010 payout one of the highest in California, but it also tops the nation in highest paid City Manager's.  The corruption of the City of West Hollywood is supported if not established by Arevalo.  Take notes folks, because tonight you are able to question the actions of this man and the allowance by the City Council members.

L-R Mike Jenkins, City Attorney; Paul Arevalo, City Manager & John D'Amico, Council Member

I am not sure where the Sacramento Bee and Los Angeles Times got the information pertaining to Mr. Arevalo's salary, perhaps the foolish fodder the City feeds people and organizations, but when I look at the West Hollywood 2011-2012 budget, I am faced with much different figures than those reported to the paper, back in 2010.  With the budget presenting figures for City Manager Salary for 2007-08, it states $502,108; 2008-2009 $573,626; 2009-2010 $580,746; 2010-2011 $559,410 and for 2011-2012 he is being paid $568,403 for his services and including the fringes I mention above.  He is averaging $2,255 per Business Day.  

Detail from the West Hollywood Budget 2011-2012

For a hired gun, isn't there someone else less corrupt, better with his/her job and more affordable?  I think it's time to give the guy 'the boot'.