The city has approved a 20-percent pay raise for Public Works Director Michael Hale, the latest in a string of salary increases for top Gloucester municipal managers this year.
The raise could take Hale's salary — and the salary of whoever succeeds him as DPW head — from the current $96,374 maximum per year to a top figure of $116,252.
The new low end of the public works director pay scale is now $98,329. Negotiations between the city and Hale will determine how much he makes within that range.
The public works director is the fourth city department head to get a pay raise this year. The others are the chief financial officer, city auditor and assessor.
In coming to City Council for approval of the pay raises, representatives of Mayor Carolyn Kirk have argued that most of Gloucester's top managers are underpaid compared with those of similar communities in Massachusetts. Out of concern that Gloucester is losing talented managers to other cities and towns, Kirk has proposed eventually raising the pay of most top managers.
In a comparison of the 19 other Massachusetts communities with populations closest to Gloucester's, the average DPW director made $108,533 per year. Wellesley, with the second lowest population of the group had the most expensive DPW director at $124,440 per year.
In explaining the reasons for Hale's raise, Kirk pointed out in a memo that the public works director has taken on a number of new responsibilities — including taking over the management of all school facilities and the renovation of the Babson drinking water treatment plant.
In 2009, Hale made the maximum $96,374 salary under the old pay scale. According to total earnings records provided by the city personnel department, he made $100,497 when additional sources of income such as stipends and overtime are taken into account.
Before approving the pay raise Tuesday night, some councilors expressed displeasure with what Councilor Bruce Tobey described as the "drip, drip, drip" process of raises.
Tobey chastised Personnel Director David Bain for not performing an "across the board" review of the city's management and pay structure, something required in the City Charter.
Chief Administrative Officer Jim Duggan said Thursday the city would conduct the kind of review Tobey was asking for before asking for any more pay raises for senior managers.
Patrick Anderson can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3455, or panderson@gloucestertimes.com.
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