Live Oak council set to decide on interim city manager, pay bump

Robert Summa, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·3 min read

Apr. 1—The Live Oak City Council on Wednesday is expected to decide on an increase to the city manager's salary and who will take over that role on an interim basis after the former city manager left last month.

As previously reported in the Appeal, former Live Oak City Manager Aaron Palmer and the city council "agreed to enter into a separation agreement" after Palmer served in that role for almost five years. Palmer had become interim city manager in April 2019, replacing Joe Aguilar, who had held the interim position since April 2018.

During his tenure, Palmer was faced with several challenges, including disputed budget and sheriff's contract approvals, in a city with a population of about 9,000.

On Wednesday, the city council will formally decide if Mark Scott will take over as interim city manager for Live Oak. The council also will most likely raise the city manager's salary from $150,000 to $225,000.

Scott was slated to become the interim city manager after a closed city council meeting last month.

"Following interviews during a Closed Session meeting on March 15, 2024, the City Council agreed to negotiate with Mark Scott for the position of Interim City Manager," a city staff report says. "The agreement is being brought before the City Council for review and approval."

According to that staff report, the recruitment of an interim city manager "garnered a total of nine applications." Interviews of the three of the top four candidates took place on March 15. Scott was then "selected to serve as the City's Interim City Manager."

Scott is identified as a "retired annuitant." According to the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), a retired annuitant is a "CalPERS retiree who, without applying for Reinstatement From Retirement, returns to work with a CalPERS employer in a designated retired annuitant position." Because of this, the council must make the appointment and approve the employment agreement by resolution.

Under government code, the city must be actively pursuing a permanent replacement, the staff report says. The city said it is currently in the "process of selecting a recruitment firm to assist with the recruitment for a permanent" city manager for Live Oak.

"The interim appointment will end when the regular replacement for the vacant position of City Manager for the City commences her or his employment or, if earlier, the date that this appointment is terminated by the City or Mr. Scott," the staff report says.

In accordance with the law, Scott will only be able to work 960 hours in any fiscal year, according to the proposed contract. He will be paid an hourly rate of $108 but will only be able to work 30 hours per week. The agreement is expected to be effective on April 8.

"Therefore, the cost to the City of Live Oak shall be the approximate sum of $3,240/week while Mr. Scott is employed by the City," the staff report says. "As Mr. Scott is a PERS annuitant, there will not be any additional benefits, travel expenses or compensation paid to him for his services."