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Interim administrators receiving pay raises
By ANNE LINDBERG, Times Staff Writer
PINELLAS PARK -- Council members agreed last week that Interim City Manager Mike Gustafson should get a raise. The proposed 5 percent hike would boost Gustafson's salary from about $84,885 a year to about $89,129. That's about $4,554 less than the $93,683 City Manager Jerry Mudd was earning when he apparently stabbed himself to death last month. If granted, Gustafson's raise would be one of four salary increases for Pinellas Park administrators who are filling temporary positions. Those administrators received their raises in January because, unlike with the city manager position, they did not have to wait for official council action. Two other administrators also are scheduled for raises for taking over the duties of an eliminated position. Gustafson, 53, was appointed interim city manager after Mudd's apparent suicide. Starting with the city 12 years ago as a senior building inspector, Gustafson has risen through the ranks and is widely seen as the frontrunner for Mudd's job. As Gustafson has risen, so has his salary. When Mudd took over in 1997, Gustafson was earning $46,030. A city audit found his job was paying less than market value, so Mudd gave him a 15 percent pay raise. A few weeks later, Paulette Cohen, who headed up Gustafson's department, resigned. Gustafson was promoted, and Mudd kicked his salary up another 15 percent to $60,882. It's unclear whether Gustafson will be able to keep the 5 percent should he not become the next city manager. Generally speaking, city spokesman Tim Caddell said, such salary increases are taken away when people return to their usual jobs. However, the City Council could agree to let Gustafson keep the increase. Also receiving about 5.1 percent salary bumps are: -- Ron Miller, acting finance director, whose $63,086 annual salary climbed to $66,290. Miller, 61, the city's assistant finance administrator and purchasing director, has applied to fill the position left vacant when Dick Wheaton was fired last month. Miller has worked for the city since October 1988. -- Tom Shevlin, who has taken over as acting community development administrator, saw his pay increase from $78,811 a year to about $82,805. Shevlin, 55, is a 16-year veteran of Pinellas Park city government and serves as assistant community development administrator and zoning director. -- Bill Santhouse, who is serving as the acting purchasing director while Miller is acting finance director. Santhouse's salary went from $49,296 to $51,792. Santhouse, 47, the city's purchasing supervisor, has worked for Pinellas Park for more than 14 years. Also slated for raises are Stan Emerson and Keith Sabiel, who split the responsibilities of the sewer director after the council eliminated that job in January to save money. Emerson, 60, has worked for the city since October 1995. He is the city engineer and utility design director. He currently earns $78,811. Sabiel, 47, has been a Pinellas Park employee for 28 years. As director of water and reclaimed water, he earns about $66,290 a year.
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
