WEST COUNTY TIMES

COUNCIL ALSO POSTPONES DECISION ON POINT MOLATE REDESIGN CONTRACT

Wednesday, May 15, 1996
Section: News
Page: A03
EMILY GURNON

RICHMOND City Council members voted Tuesday to increase the salaries of the four city employees who report to them.

City Manager Floyd Johnson, will see his salary increase from $117,300 to $130,665, retroactive to Jan. 10. That includes $7,500 in deferred compensation for a retirement fund.

City Attorney Malcolm Hunter will get a 5 percent raise, from $99,936 per year to $104,933, retroactive to Jan. 1. In January of 1997, his salary will be reviewed again.

City Clerk Eula Barnes' pay will rise from $64,812 to $68,053. Police Commission Investigative Officer Don Casimere will receive a boost from $61,824 to $67,000. Both Barnes' and Casimere's raises are retroactive to Jan. 1.

In other business, the council delayed a decision scheduled for Tuesday on a contract with Dan Peterson & Associates Inc. for the redesign of Point Molate.

The council put off the decision for a week after Hunter told the group that some last-minute changes were made in the proposed contract.

"We thought we had it buttoned up," he said. "As late as this afternoon, some new issues have come up." He did not specify what the changes in the draft contract might be.

Point Molate, a former naval fuel depot, is a 400-acre parcel just west of the Chevron refinery on San Francisco Bay.

The total amount to be paid to Peterson and his team under the contract would be $231,980, according to a report by city staff.

The city has received a $150,000 grant from the federal Office of Economic Adjustment for the reuse planning, of which $115,000 can be paid to Peterson. Another $30,000 will come from the California Trade and Commerce Agency. Officials hope to receive more money from other sources.

The contract has been controversial. Councilman Tom Butt has accused five of his colleagues of choosing Peterson over what staff members ranked as more qualified teams at the behest of lobbyist Darrell Reese.

Another scheduled council item was also put off at the request of Mayor Rosemary Corbin.

The council was scheduled to discuss the process for considering a proposed hazardous materials ordinance. That item will go before the council in two weeks.