CITY MANAGER GIVEN $20,800 BOOST IN PAY.

Byline: Jim Skeen  Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Unable to agree on whether they should keep City Manager Bob Toone after his contract ends in December, the City Council nonetheless gave him a $20,800 a year raise, the second pay hike in less than a year.

In a 3-2 vote Thursday night, the City Council increased Toone's salary from $171,200 a year to $192,000. Council members Rick Norris and Mike Dispenza cast the dissenting votes.

``This is recognition he has not received compensation commensurate to his colleagues in the region,'' said Councilman Richard Loa, who proposed the raise.

Loa said the raise is justifiable given Toone's accomplishments. If a contract extension is not worked out for Toone and he leaves the post, the new higher salary will make the post attractive for prospective applicants, Loa said.

Last August, the City Council voted to give Toone a $10,000-a-year raise.

Dispenza called the raise fiscally irresponsible given the uncertainties of the state's budget and economy.

``This is a huge raise, and it's coming after a $10,000 raise,'' Dispenza said. ``It's irresponsible in today's economic climate and not knowing what the state will do with our money.''

Dispenza said the last time a contract extension was negotiated with Toone it was done with the understanding there would be no merit raises.

As with the August pay increase, the new pay hike came after proposals to extend Toone's contract were voted down. Toone's contract expires Dec. 31.

Toone's new salary is on a par with Lancaster City Manager Jim Gilley, who earns $192,144 a year.

Santa Clarita City Manager George Caravalho made $175,000 in salary and $8,000 in deferred compensation. He left last month for Riverside, where he gets $22,000 more.

In February, two proposals to extend Toone's contract beyond this year were rejected by the City Council, leaving the top administrator's future with the city in doubt.

At the February meeting, Loa proposed a one-year extension for Toone's contract coupled with a $5,000-a-year raise. Mayor Jim Ledford proposed a three-year extension with the $5,000 raise.

Loa's proposal died for the lack of a second; Ledford's was rejected by a 2-3 vote with council members Loa, Rick Norris and Mike Dispenza in opposition.

Loa argued that a one-year extension would give enough time to make an evaluation of progress on what the councilman considers key issues related to the city's east side - the development of a hospital, establishment of after-school programs and filling of vacant stores along Palmdale Boulevard.

Ledford labeled the one-year extension proposal ``an insult'' to Toone.

In July, a bid by Ledford to extend Toone's contract by two years died for the lack of a second.

Toone has been Palmdale's city manager since 1986. Before coming to Palmdale, Toone served as the assistant city manager for La Mesa for 10 years. Prior to that, Toone served as the village manager for Richton Park, Ill.

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