On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, during a City Council meeting, a detailed presentation was given on the classification and compensation study aimed at evaluating the city’s salary structure in comparison with other public entities. Before this presentation was made to the public, the City Council, including the Mayor, was briefed in a closed session. ThisContinue reading “Classification and Compensation Study: El Cerrito’s Missed Opportunity”
Author Archives: eccrg
The Price of Sub Par Performance: A Critical Look at El Cerrito’s City Manager Compensation
In El Cerrito, a significant question emerges: Why is the City Manager’s role, crucial for the city’s governance and administration, associated with a salary over $240,000 plus extensive benefits and perks? Reports from the City Manager indicate that the city has addressed the State Auditor’s concerns, yet only some issues have been partially resolved. ManyContinue reading “The Price of Sub Par Performance: A Critical Look at El Cerrito’s City Manager Compensation”
El Cerrito Insider Gets Special Treatment – a microblog
At the Tuesday City Council meeting in El Cerrito, the community turnout was significant, with many attendees eager to share their thoughts on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The anticipation in the air shifted as the mayor announced a reduction in speaking time from three minutes to a brisk two. As speakers reached the new time limit,Continue reading “El Cerrito Insider Gets Special Treatment – a microblog”
El Cerrito’s Fiscal Dilemma: Navigating Budget Adjustments Amid Declining Reserves
Tuesday’s City Council meeting highlighted proposed midyear budget adjustments. A key point in the discussion is the staff’s suggestion to lower the expected property transfer tax revenue by $1 million due to a downturn. Notably, there’s no mention of a corresponding expense reduction. Instead, City Staff recommended general fund withdrawal of $1 million. While theContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Fiscal Dilemma: Navigating Budget Adjustments Amid Declining Reserves”
Reevaluating Fiscal Priorities: A Closer Look at City Management Spending Practices
During these challenging financial times, it has come to light that the city’s fiscal resources are being significantly stretched by the city manager’s frequent travels. On a roughly monthly basis, she attends networking conferences, with all related expenses—membership fees, conference charges, airfare, lodging, and dining—being covered by city taxpayers. This practice, while expensive, raises deeperContinue reading “Reevaluating Fiscal Priorities: A Closer Look at City Management Spending Practices”
Navigating Change in El Cerrito: A Newcomer’s Perspective
As a recent transplant to El Cerrito in the wake of the pandemic, my partner and I often reflect on our decision to settle here. Drawn by its fantastic views of the Bay Area, convenient location near San Francisco and East Contra Costa County, along with access to two BART stations, we saw potential inContinue reading “Navigating Change in El Cerrito: A Newcomer’s Perspective”
Transparency and Trust Issues in Municipal Meeting and Info Sharing Practices
In January, the El Cerrito Citizens for Responsible Government (ECCRG) took a pivotal step by inquiring about the city’s handling of right-to-information requests made in 2023. They sought comprehensive details, including the outcomes of these requests and explanations for any denials. Although the city shared information about the requestors, topics, and dates, it notably omittedContinue reading “Transparency and Trust Issues in Municipal Meeting and Info Sharing Practices”
Evaluating the Track Records of Councilmembers Wysinger and Quinto in the Primary Elections
As the primary elections draw near, voters in Contra Costa County face important decisions regarding their representation on the Democratic Central Committee, District 1. Among the contenders are Carolyn Wysinger and Gabriel (Gabe) Quinto, both of whom currently serve on the City Council with terms set to conclude in 2026. Their tenure and actions whileContinue reading “Evaluating the Track Records of Councilmembers Wysinger and Quinto in the Primary Elections”
El Cerrito Quietly Renews City Manager’s Contract
On October 3, 2023, Resolution 2023-77 was quietly and unanimously passed by the City Council. The renewal included a hefty $450 car allowance although the City Manager lives in El Cerrito, a few miles from City Hall. In a recent turn of events, the City Manager, fresh off a contract renewal, displayed questionable judgment. Notably,Continue reading “El Cerrito Quietly Renews City Manager’s Contract”
Challenging Financial Oversight: A Critique of El Cerrito’s Budget Reporting Practices – Editor’s note below
Editor’s Note: Following the publication of this blog post, the City of El Cerrito staff made updates to the quarterly performance reports. These reports feature tables detailing revenue and expense categories, complete with annotations regarding budget percentages. This update is undeniably a positive move forward. The City Council Packet for Tuesday’s meeting was released today. Continue reading “Challenging Financial Oversight: A Critique of El Cerrito’s Budget Reporting Practices – Editor’s note below”
El Cerrito’s Fiscal Oversight: Missed Opportunities and the Urgent Need for Strategic Staffing and Pension Reform
In March 2023, the state auditor recommended that El Cerrito should evaluate its staffing levels prior to undertaking the Classification and Compensation Study. Despite this advice, El Cerrito proceeded to solicit proposals for a comprehensive classification and compensation study. This study aims to assess the city’s organizational structure, compensation practices, and policies. The outcome ofContinue reading “El Cerrito’s Fiscal Oversight: Missed Opportunities and the Urgent Need for Strategic Staffing and Pension Reform”
Calimesa Leads the Way: A Bold Solution to El Cerrito’s Fiscal Crisis
Calimesa Leads the Way: A Bold Solution to El Cerrito’s Fiscal Crisis El Cerrito faces an unfunded liability reported at $85 million, an amount surpassing its annual budget. The unfunded liability is the amount owed for pension costs that El Cerrito has not paid. With the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) applying a 6.8%Continue reading “Calimesa Leads the Way: A Bold Solution to El Cerrito’s Fiscal Crisis”
The Impact of Leadership on City Management: A Reflective Analysis- Microblog
The role of a city manager is pivotal in shaping the future of urban landscapes. This blog post delves into the complexities of city management, focusing on the crucial link between leadership and the efficacy of administrative strategies. The city manager, renowned for her eloquent articulation of vision and strategy, has set high expectations forContinue reading “The Impact of Leadership on City Management: A Reflective Analysis- Microblog”
The Impact of Budget Amendments on City’s Financial Health
On Tuesday, the City Council authorized an expenditure that further narrows the financial safety net of our city, a resolution has been proposed to amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 Adopted Budget and Capital Improvement Program. This action involves the allocation of $1,084,800 from the General Fund Unrestricted Fund Balance towards several park and facilityContinue reading “The Impact of Budget Amendments on City’s Financial Health”
Uncovering the Real Issues: El Cerrito’s Classification and Compensation Study
More on governance. Read On: The City of El Cerrito recently embarked on a classification and compensation study, ostensibly to address the challenge of attracting qualified candidates to fill vacant positions. They assert that low salaries are the primary reason for their recruitment struggles. But City Leadership moved to the 51st State of Denial andContinue reading “Uncovering the Real Issues: El Cerrito’s Classification and Compensation Study”
California State Auditor’s Assessment Reveals Inadequate Cost-Cutting Measures in Ongoing Expenses
El Cerrito, California, informed the State Auditor that it planned to implement a fiscal recovery plan by summer 2021, including elements from the Auditor’s report. However, the city’s plans failed to effectively reduce ongoing costs. Their corrective action plan lacks a focused strategy for spending cuts, even though their five-year forecast acknowledges the need forContinue reading “California State Auditor’s Assessment Reveals Inadequate Cost-Cutting Measures in Ongoing Expenses”
Rising Tide of Pension Costs: El Cerrito’s Escalating Financial Challenge
El Cerrito’s financial struggles are largely due to its escalating pension debt, linked to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). This debt saw a 67% increase from fiscal year 2014-15 to 2019-20, reaching $65.8 million by June 2020 and soaring to $85 million by June 2023. High pension liabilities mean rising costs over time,Continue reading “Rising Tide of Pension Costs: El Cerrito’s Escalating Financial Challenge”
El Cerrito: The Challenge of Accessing Information
El Cerrito: The Challenge of Accessing Public Information- Microblog The El Cerrito Citizens for Responsible Government (ECCRG) recently sought specific details from the city regarding the number of right-to-information requests filed in 2023, along with their outcomes and reasons for any refusals. It’s important to note that while the city did provide details about whoContinue reading “El Cerrito: The Challenge of Accessing Information”
Governance Matters: Expenses Continue to Outpace Revenue as Pension Liability Climbs – Microblog
In March 2023, El Cerrito unveiled its latest plan for financial improvement in response to a severe audit from the California State Auditor in 2021. This audit, part of a program targeting high-risk local governments, shed light on El Cerrito’s precarious financial state and tendency towards excessive expenditure. One key factor in the city’s revenueContinue reading “Governance Matters: Expenses Continue to Outpace Revenue as Pension Liability Climbs – Microblog”
State Auditor’s RoadMap: The Path to Success
The City of El Cerrito, while initially agreeing with some of the State Auditor’s recommendations, has shown a lack of commitment in implementing these suggestions, particularly in managing its financial struggles. The city’s budgets have consistently shown increased expenditures without justifying the rises, and its budget policy lacks clear procedures for monitoring departmental spending. ThisContinue reading “State Auditor’s RoadMap: The Path to Success”
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 