Tacoma’s next city manager will be paid $221,208 a year and start work next month under a two-year employment contract approved Tuesday by the City Council.
T.C. Broadnax will get a slew of other job perks as the city’s top employee – including up to $25,000 in moving expenses, a $20,000 housing-equalization allowance to account for the higher cost of living in Tacoma than where he lives now, and a $550-a-month automobile allowance.
Broadnax, 42, an assistant city manager in San Antonio who now makes about $168,000 per year, did not return a telephone call Tuesday seeking comment. He is expected to travel to Tacoma this week to attend city meetings.
Before the council approved the agreement Tuesday evening, Mayor Marilyn Strickland described it as a fair deal she and other council members were proud to authorize.
“We’ve been working with Mr. Broadnax and we’re very, very anxious for him to get started,” Strickland said.
The mayor also noted that, even as Broadnax walks in the door in Tacoma, he’ll be hit with the same 5 percent pay cut other senior managers are taking this year to deal with a city budget crisis. That means Broadnax will be paid based on a prorated salary of $210,148 in 2012 – about $11,060 less than what his pay terms call for.
Under the contract’s terms, Broadnax will begin work in Tacoma on Feb. 13, and he must live in the city.
Broadnax also will be provided an initial bank of 22 leave days. He’ll get the city’s standard health care benefits package and a 401(k) match of up to 3 percent of his salary, and the city will cover all general expenses related to professional development, membership dues, job training and travel.
Broadnax’s contract runs through Feb. 12, 2013. The council will be tasked to evaluate Broadnax’s performance annually and to determine whether to extend his employment every two years.
He’ll also be an at-will employee, meaning he can be fired at the council’s discretion. If the city were to fire Broadnax before the two-year agreement is up, he would receive nine months of severance pay at his then-current pay rate.
Strickland noted that the contract with Broadnax provides three months less of severance pay than what former City Manager Eric Anderson received upon his dismissal.
If Broadnax voluntary leaves the city before his contract expires, he could be subject to repaying costs related to his hiring and relocation. The repayments could range from 100 percent should he leave within six months of hiring, to 50 percent should he leave within two years.
With the council’s approval of the contract, Broadnax becomes the third city manager on Tacoma’s general government payroll since July to earn more than $210,000 per year.
Interim City Manager Rey Arellano makes $211,848 per year, and former City Manager Eric Anderson was making $235,373 in annual pay last year. Anderson walked away with an additional $261,107 when the city parted ways with him in July. The amount included severance pay equaling one year’s salary and nearly $24,000 in compensation for accrued vacations and holidays.
Lewis Kamb: 253-597-8542
lewis.kamb@thenewstribune.com
Twitter: @lkamb
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