SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio city council voted Thursday on a proposal to increase City Manager Erik Walsh’s salary and make his term indefinite.
The proposal passed with a 9-1 vote, with Councilmember Cabello Havrda from District 6 casting the sole dissenting vote.
The motion increases Walsh’s salary to $461,000, an increase of 23% from his current salary of $374,400.
Walsh was named city manager in 2019. At the time, he was limited to an eight-year term and his salary was capped due to a change in the city charter approved by voters in 2018.
Last month, voters approved a change to the charter that allows the council to set the terms of employment and salary for the city manager.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg supported the proposal, voting yes.
Havrda expressed her opposition, stating, “I can’t in good conscience approve a $100,000 raise” when community members face poverty issues. She also opposed the city council’s own raises.
Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia from District 4 voted in favor but voiced concerns about future city managers and emphasized the need for measurable objectives tied to salary increases. She also questioned how public input would factor into the city manager’s future pay increases.
Councilman Manny Pelaez from District 8 supported the raise, emphasizing the need to “hire the best damn city manager in the U.S.” and the importance of competitive pay to attract top talent.
Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito from District 7 agreed with Pelaez and was pleased that voters allowed the council to decide on salary changes for the city manager. She advocated for performance indicators set by the council.
Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran from District 5 supported the raise, highlighting the importance of fair pay from the top down and expressing concern that Corpus Christi pays its city manager more than San Antonio with a significantly smaller budget.
Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez from District 2, who supported Proposition C, raised concerns about the budget deficit and questioned the source of the $100,000 increase. Walsh responded that it would come from the city manager’s budget. McKee-Rodriguez emphasized the need for fair pay and reducing job vacancies.
Councilwoman Sukh Kaur from District 1 was surprised by how much other city managers in other Texas cities earn and advocated for performance pay metrics based on community values.
Councilman Marc Whyte from District 10 voted yes, praising Walsh’s dedication and hard work, while Councilwoman Teri Castillo from District 3, despite opposing Proposition C, supported performance objectives to discuss improvements under Walsh’s leadership.
Councilman John Courage from District 9 was absent from the vote.
The new terms and salary will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
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