Second of two parts
Previously, “Dangling Questions Left Over About the New City Manager”
In Spartanburg, S.C., several persons in community on-line forums said they are not happy with the performance of their outgoing City Manager, Mark Scott, who has been selected by the City Council as the new City Manager of Culver City.
When these Spartanburg residents heard the news of Mr. Scott’s impending departure, one person wrote in the urbanplanet.org/forums/Spartanburg
“Terrific news. Mark Scott has resigned!!! He has held up enough development in Spartanburg.
“Now maybe some of the developments that were given up on can get back on track when the economy improves. He was a good presenter and TV spokesperson, but he was not a good fit for Spartanburg.
“He just could not get the job done. He was no Roy Lane. I only hope our City Council will not make another mistake in choosing the next manager. Roy Lane was the best Manager Spartanburg ever had and will be hard to match, but we can all hope for someone of his ability.”
Why would anyone want to move across the country to come to a city that had a $4 million deficit in January that rose to $6 million two months later?
Why would Mr. Scott want a city management staff that is underqualified, that is overstaffed and where the city budget is in trouble?
The financial condition of the city does not seem to be a deterrent to Mr. Scott, moving thousands of miles to be the City Manager here.
Geography Lesson
It’s been reported in Spartanburg and Culver City that his move to California is to be close to his family in Fresno.
Culver City reports on its website that Mr. Scott will be residing in Culver City with his wife, but in the Spartanburg press Mr. Scott is quoted as saying that because of his wife’s own professional commitments in Spartanburg she will not likely follow him west for another year.
He is also quoted as saying he and his wife would like to keep their Spartanburg home in the hope of retiring there in the future.
Why Culver City? It’s not exactly down the street from California’s Central Valley.
Why not a City Manager position near Fresno?
The answer is simple.
“Money.”
What is the benefit of accepting the City Manager’s position in Culver City for Mr. Scott?
Is it the prestige of being the City Manager of a Westside city?
I don’t think so.
He already has been the City Manager of Beverly Hills for 14 years.
The answer again is the money.
It was reported that one of the reasons Mr. Scott left Beverly Hills was that he had received the maximum the PERS Retirement Schedule from them.
Comparing Departure Deals
Given his age and when he left, under a 2.5 percent-at-age-55 system, he would have received approximately 75 percent of his estimated $200,000 per year salary from Beverly Hills.
In order for Mr. Scott to accept the position with Culver City, he must give up his Beverly Hills PERS Retirement until he retires again from Culver City.
With the new programs that the PERS retirement system has implemented since his retirement in 2003, Mr. Scott can come to Culver City, spend 19 months here, and retire again from PERS under Culver City’s 2.5 percent-at-age-55 plan with a retirement benefit of 90 percent of $263,000.
That is almost a $100,000 per year increase in his retirement pay for 19 months work.
Under his current Spartanburg salary he would probably have to work there into his 80s to derive the same benefit.
What is the risk to Mr. Scott by making this move?
Very little.
He Won’t Have to Wait Long
Culver City is paying for his move here, nine months of temporary housing allowance and — for the first time ever that I am aware of — a $250,000 “housing assistance loan.”
What is the risk to Mr. Scott being able to survive 19 months in Culver City’s poor fiscal position?
The answer is, “very good.”
By the time he takes over, Culver City’s retiring City Manager Jerry Fulwood and his current staff will have in place a new two-year budget 2009/10 and 2010/11.
Mr. Scott, hopefully, will make the difficult decisions and turn things around.
But if that becomes an insurmountable task, Mr. Scott can sit back, point the finger at the previous administration and wait out his 19 months until retirement.
Don’t worry, Mr. Scott.
The city has more than enough in its reserves to cover the $6 million-plus shortage and whatever is to come for the next two years.
I know that Vice Maytor Gary Silbiger irritates a lot of people in Culver City. But I think this is why he voted against the money part of Mr. Scott’s contract.
