City of Lodi adds new positions but holds off on HR overhaul
The Lodi City Council unanimously approved the 2024-2025 mid-year budget, but without changing the human resources manager and information technology manager positions to deputy director titles.
In February, the consultant firm Municipal Resource Group proposed the city rebrand the city's human resources division as a department and put a director in charge, rather than a manager, as well as add clerical support and a risk management analyst, or retain the human resources division and change the manager to a deputy director.
A third proposal was to retain the division, and increase its full-time employee roster to include an senior analyst and administrative clerk and change the manager to a deputy director.
Wednesday's staff report proposed eliminating the existing human resources manager — whose salary is $223,950 — and adding a deputy director at a cost of $241,810.
In addition, staff proposed eliminating the information technology manager — whose salary was 213,835 — and adding a deputy director at a cost of $229,300.
Vice mayor Ramon Yepez and councilman Mikey Hothi questioned the need for changing the titles, and both said they would not be voting for the proposals.
Yepez said he would vote no on any proposal that did not include job descriptions.
"The new positions will be doing essentially the same job," city manager Scott Carney said. "But we're doing a name change because we think it will be good marketing to be able to attract talent."
Hothi said he wanted to speak with the city's labor groups before voting on personnel changes.
"I'm happy to look at some of the other options on the table and hear from my colleagues," he said. "But I don't feel comfortable voting on personnel title changes until I know what the impact is on our rank-and-file employees."
Despite the decline to approve the two positions, Hothi and Yepez agreed to adding seven new positions to city hall, including a budget analyst at $200,310 and a Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services program coordinator at $110,730.
Also approved were two customer service representatives in the Finance Department at $175,280 each, and two associate planners in the Community Development Department at $262,250 each.
The city's general fund is now projected to be about $90 million, and is due to a $6.42 million increase in carryover funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, and an additional $5,000 donation from the Lodi Fire Foundation.
Revenues are estimated to be about $90 million, an increase of $2.53 million due to an income increase not included in the original budget and an increase in property tax revenue, as well as a one-time true-up of the lease agreement for the 215 W. Elm St. building with the Judicial Council of California, staff said.
Expenses are anticipated to be about $92.8 million, and are $1.15 million higher than first projected last summer.
The council will adopt the 2025-2026 budget in June.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Shelby and Story counties to pursue U.S. Supreme Court action on local pipeline ordinance case
The Shelby County Board of Supervisors voted Aug. 19 to petition the county's case against Summit Carbon Solutions to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) HARLAN – County supervisors in Shelby and Story counties voted Tuesday to pursue further legal action in their case against Summit Carbon Solutions pertaining to county-specific ordinances on hazardous liquid pipelines. A U.S. district judge and federal appeals judges have previously ruled on the case in favor of Summit and now the counties are seeking a review of the rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, though a Summit filing holds the ordinances would still be preempted by state laws. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In Harlan, at the Shelby County Courthouse, landowners opposed to the pipeline gathered to thank the supervisors. Sherri Webb, an affected Shelby County landowner, said Iowans across the state look to Shelby County and say 'I wish you were our supervisors.' 'Thank you,' Webb said, noting that it's no small feat to decide to appear before the Supreme Court. 'No matter what, I'm behind you guys,' Webb said. Another landowner, Jan Norris who lives in Montgomery County and is a neighbor to the pipeline route, called the board a David standing up to a 'well-resourced and motivated' Goliath. 'Your constituents may not know how lucky they are, but I do,' Norris said. 'Because my board has chosen to play it safe and avoid the fight.' Norris and Webb have been active at their respective county supervisor meetings since they first learned of the Summit project several years ago. The pipeline would connect to biorefineries across the state and transport liquid carbon dioxide through Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and to underground storage in North Dakota. The two said the actions of the Board of Supervisors are important for maintaining local control and working toward standards they believe will be safer and better for their properties. Norris said if the outcome of the case is reversed and in favor of the counties, it will benefit many Iowa counties, and other states impacted by the pipeline and similar projects. 'You guys are doing your job and you shouldn't be sued for doing your job,' Webb said. Cindy Hansen, who lives in Ankeny but owns affected land in Shelby County with her sister, said the supervisors have restored some of the hope in the state that she had lost from the actions of the Iowa Utilities Commission and state legislators. The Shelby County board said the cost of the lawsuits 'have mounted,' but have been covered by the county's insurer, ICAP, and by a fund the board created, shortly after it was sued by Summit in November 2022, that uses American Rescue Plan Act dollars to cover the costs. A copy of both counties' letter of engagement, obtained by Iowa Capital Dispatch, shows fees for the endeavor would be capped at $60,000. Mike Kolbe, one of the Shelby County board members, said the budget was a consideration in the decision, but with the fund and continued coverage from ICAP, Kolbe said the county can afford it 'with no cost to the taxpayers.' Bryce Schaben, the chair of the Shelby board, said the feedback he has received from his community showed there was only one way forward. 'Everything we've heard is to do what we did today,' Schaben said following the meeting. 'When you get that kind of support, it's an easy decision.' Schaben said if the Supreme Court follows the direction of the previous courts on the case, he will be confused. 'It's very confusing that the rulings don't want to make our counties safe,' Schaben said. 'That's what it comes down to.' Ordinances in both counties established setbacks and permitting requirements for the pipeline company to construct in the county. Summit argued, and a federal judge in the Southern District of Iowa ruled, the ordinances were preempted by federal pipeline safety standards. The counties appealed the case, and judges for the Eighth Circuit court of appeals concurred with the lower court, though one judge partially dissented on the case. Story County supervisors approved the decision as part of a consent agenda and did not discuss the decision to engage the D.C. law firm on the suit. Steve Kenkel, a former Shelby County supervisor who now serves as an adviser to the board on topics related to the pipeline, quoted Iowa Code where it directs county supervisors to 'protect and preserve the rights of their constituents.' 'That's what we're trying to do here,' Kenkel said. 'Without county zoning ordinances, the tools supervisors presently have in their tool box … will be tools of the past if this ruling is allowed to stand.' Both counties voted to engage Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick P.L.L.C. to petition the Supreme Court. Summit has sued several counties for similar county ordinance issues, including Emmet, Kossuth and Palo Alto counties. The later-filed cases have been paused while Shelby and Story counties' case was heard and then appealed. The two counties also petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit for an en banc rehearing of the case in July, which the court denied. The other affected counties have requested stays through this process again as Shelby and Story counties decided to take the case to the Supreme Court. Summit's legal team submitted a motion to lift the stay for these other counties, arguing that regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court petition, the county ordinances would be preempted by state laws. 'Any county ordinance—including the one here—that attempts to impose additional permitting requirements, control pipeline routes, or regulate construction and operation is preempted by state law,' the motion said. The Summit motion for leave of stay in Kossuth County also said certiorari from the Supreme Court was 'unlikely in general' and 'particularly unlikely' in Shelby and Story counties' case. The motion holds that the Supreme Court could only review whether or not the ordinances were preempted by federal pipeline laws. Still in place, it argues, would be a piece of Iowa Code that gives the Iowa Utilities Commission the authority to set pipeline routes. This was noted in the ruling from the Eighth Circuit. Here, the judges explained that a county would be inconsistent with state law, and therefore preempted, if it denied a local zoning permit application from the pipeline company to build on a location that had been approved by the IUC. The appellate court decision notes some other states cede this power to local governments and might not be preempted as Iowa counties are. Kenkel argued Tuesday that if the Supreme Court did not act in the counties' favor, the IUC would not be able to route the pipeline based on safety considerations. These and permitting and setback regulations, he said, would instead be up to the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's rules. State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat who is running for governor, stopped in Harlan Tuesday as part of his campaign tour across the state. Among the things he was asked by the bipartisan crowd at Milk & Honey restaurant downtown: How would he protect property rights from such projects? Sand said he does not support eminent domain for CO2 pipelines, 'period.' The comment was met with applause, especially considering some of the crowd had filed across the street to the restaurant after the board meeting. Sand said there are two main reasons why he feels this way. He said he is 'deeply skeptical' that a carbon capture pipeline can be considered a common carrier and if 'there is a true public purpose' to the project. 'You can be a supporter of agriculture in the state of Iowa and a supporter of ethanol, and say that the carbon capture pipeline ain't it,' Sand said. Sand said there are other options to sequester CO2 that have an established market. Sand said Gov. Kim Reynolds' lack of action, or public opinion on the issue has been her 'single biggest failure.' 'Never in the state of Iowa, if there's a tremendous issue with lots of people showing up at the state capitol every single year for the legislative session, will I let five years go by before I decide to maybe share my opinion, only after a bill gets passed,' Sand said. Reynolds, a Republican, is not seeking reelection. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Chris Pratt calls RFK Jr ‘wonderful' and wishes him success with getting ‘toxic stuff out of our kids' food'
Hollywood mega-actor Chris Pratt said Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is 'wonderful' and supports the Trump-appointed Health and Human Services secretary on his quest to 'Make America Healthy Again.' The 'Jurassic World' star, who's married to Katherine Schwarzenegger, daughter of Maria Shriver and a member of the Kennedy family, appeared on Bill Maher's 'Club Random' podcast on Monday and talked about his time spent with RFK Jr. 'I've spent a number of occasions hanging with him, just in a strictly, you know, family dinner kind of vibe and I really got along well with him,' Pratt said. 'I think he's great. I think he's funny. He's wonderful. I like him. I love him.' Advertisement 4 Chris Pratt appeared on Bill Maher's 'Club Random' podcast on Monday and talked about his time spent with RFK Jr. Club Random Podcast / YouTube Pratt clarified that his interactions with the health and human services secretary are family-oriented and not focused on politics. However, the 46-year-old actor does 'wish him well' on tackling bipartisan issues. Advertisement 'I hope there are certain things that he oversees that seem to be supported in a bipartisan way, like getting terrible, toxic stuff out of our kids' food. I think that's a great thing. And so, like, just – if you just do that, that's amazing,' Pratt said. 'I'd hate to be so mired in hatred for the president that any success from his administration is something I'd have an allergic reaction to. To be like, 'Oh, well, if they do it, I don't want it to happen. I'll put Clorox in my children's cereal myself.'' While he did not formally endorse Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' commission, Pratt expressed hope for his success. 4 Pratt is married to Katherine Schwarzenegger, the daughter of Maria Shriver and a member of the Kennedy family. Club Random Podcast / YouTube Advertisement 'You know, it's like, come on, be reasonable here. There's certain things that would be a good thing to have. I want them all to be successful,' Pratt said. Maher, 69, echoed Pratt's praise of RFK Jr.'s character as a friend. 'I love him,' Maher said. 'I may not agree with everything. But I agree with the overall view that what makes us sick is the toxicity.' Advertisement 'When he was here, I said my advice to you is like you need to marry your former life more with what you're doing now. Your former life, you were very admired as an environmental lawyer,' he added. Maher also set the record straight for critics that RFK Jr. is 'not crazy,' and praised him for always sticking by his values. 'He's not crazy. I mean the people trying to – he's also got, like I said to him when he was here, I don't agree with everything you said, and I don't think your father would either, but your father would be so proud that you stuck to your guns like more than anybody,' Maher told the 'Parks & Recreation' alum. 4 Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on Capitol Hill on May 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Getty Images 4 New York Post cover for Wednesday, April 23, 2025. rfaraino 'I mean this guy, when this guy believes something you cannot move him off of it with your bribes. That's for better and worse.' RFK Jr. was sworn in as the 26th HHS Secretary on Feb.13, 2025 after being nominated by President Trump. Immediately after taking the position, he established the 'Make America Healthy Again' commission focused on fitness, food reform, and chronic disease prevention. Advertisement Since taking office as the HHS Secretary under the Trump administration, the commission has helped re-establish the Presidential Fitness Test for public schoolchildren, ordered the FDA to phase out eight petroleum-based food dyes by 2026, and released a report identifying four potential causes of childhood chronic disease.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Ben Mulroney calls out Parks Canada for "shameful decision" to not honour former PM
In this segment from today's "The Ben Mulroney Show", Ben discusses the current political landscape in Canada, focusing on Pierre Poilievre's anticipated victory in a by-election and the implications for his leadership. The conversation shifts to a controversial decision by Parks Canada regarding the honoring of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, which has sparked significant debate about legacy and recognition.
