Pomeranz's eye-popping pay package

The latest word on Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz's pay package, the state's largest among his peers, hit the paper and dropped some jaws around these parts. I admit that his $252,232.07 base pay, and his total compensation of $341,000, including deferred retirement income, widened my eyes as well.

One reason is that I haven't paid the sort of attention I should have.

This was the lucrative deal put in place by the City Council in June 2010 when Pomeranz was hired away from West Des Moines. The Gazette's very first story about the hiring pointed out that Pomeranz would be paid $225,000 along with receiving 32 percent of that salary in deferred compensation. So his total package was a stone's throw from $300,000 from the very moment he stepped in and took the reins.

On Dec. 20, 2011, the City Council voted to give him a 3 percent raise, boosting his base to $231,750.

On Oct. 9, 2012, the City Council raised his base pay by 5.8 percent, to $244,496.25

And last week, the council voted to award him a 4.8 percent raise, to $256,232.07.

That's roughly $31,000 in raises since 2010.  A healthy sum. But, based on the original deal, hardly a lightning bolt from the blue.

One thing that bothers me about these raises is that, according to past meeting agendas, the council has approved each of them as part of its "consent agenda," or basically a long list of so-called non-controversial items that it approves with a single vote and no discussion. Liquor license renewals, routine resolutions and such.

I think the public, the taxpayers, deserve a lot more explanation when it comes to approving pay increases for the top official in city government. When the City Council votes to throw more of folks' money on the already considerable pile being paid to this top official, the council should at least go to the trouble of saying why it's justified. It seems more weighty than voting to allow Joe's Place to keep slinging drinks.

I've heard this week that there's an annual, thorough examination of the city manager's performance, done by the council. That's where these raises are established. Although I understand the limits of disclosing these closed-door personnel matters, it might be nice if council members share the important highlights with us before voting to approve a raise.

Otherwise, a jaw-dropping story hits the front page, and people, many working hard to scrape by, wonder how it is that any public official could earn that much. And that's a reasonable thing to wonder. What is the return on this investment?

I get the impression from the mayor and council members, whom I've heard and read this week being asked about this issue, that they believe it's obvious beyond the need to explain much. Look at all the great things that are happening!

Great things are happening. Very big decisions have been made and important deals struck. And Pomeranz has played a critical, leading role in all of them. He was a good hire. I hope he sticks around a long time.

Questioning his salary doesn't diminish any of that. This is the public sector and public money. More transparency is needed.