Question and Answers to Issues Courthouse Square

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' ' Newspaper reports state that RG. Andersen-Wyckoff received a$4,000 bonus related to ' Courthouse Square. Is this true? No. In 1997, the Board of Directors reviewed the general manager's performance as it had the ' yeaz before. Due to the 1996 contract amendment, there would be no salary increase. However, the general manager would be eligible for a cost-of-living increase (COLA) equal to the amount received by other employees of the district. The board awarded the general manager a one time ~ merit award in-lieu-of the COLA. This has the effect of insuring that the base salary would not grow each year, thus saving the District taxpayers money. ' In public session, Mr. John Miller, a member of the Boazd from Keizer, made the motion to m.:ke the merit award based on the cost savings to the District under the general manager's ~ tenure. Director Caraballo noted that merit awazd was given not only for cost savings, but also for streamlining the District operations, expediting negotiations on the bargaining contract, making effective organizational changes, and participating in delicate negotiations. The delicate ' negotiations referred to Andersen-Wyckoff's work to ternunate Berrey's work on the Courthouse Square Project, while keeping two members of Berrey's team, Arbuckle-Costic Architects and Pence-Kelly General Contractors. ' The District has an opinion from its legal counsel stating that the award is within the District Board's ability as it was given in lieu of a COLA which was authorized in the , amendment to the general manager's contract. ' (Support information: Tabs 24-25)