New City Manager Contract Includes Access to City Car, Moving Allowance

, San Juan’s new city manager will have 180 hours of vacation time and 108 hours of sick leave along with up to $10,000 for moving expenses, a cell phone, a laptop and access to a taxpayer-funded Ford Escape Hybrid (in lieu of an automobile allowance).

These and other benefits are spelled out in a three-year employment contract with Karen Brust that the City Council is set to approve Tuesday night during its regularly scheduled meeting.

The city announced Wednesday that Brust, currently the city manager of San Diego's tiniest city, Del Mar, had accepted its offer for the same position here in San Juan. When the City Council began in December its recruiting process for a new city manager,hat would attract top notch candidates.

, Brust's predecessor, was paid  $324,000, but did not receive any benefits. He earned one of the highest salaries in California during his three-year tenure.

In the contract that's included with Tuesday night's agenda packet, the city is agreeing to pay up to the highest CalPERS HMO premiums for vision, dental and comprehensive medical insurance for Brush and her dependents, as well as the premium due for her life insurance, at an amount equal to two times her annual salary of $218,000, plus $20,000.

Brust will, however, pay 10.05 percent toward her pension through CalPERS. Currently, all full-time employees' pensions are paid entirely by the city. Having Brust contribute to her pension is in line with the city's "desire to have all employees pay the 'employee share' of retirement contributions,' " the contract states.

Brust will have a city-issued credit card to use for business expenses. She will be eligible for merit increases after she's completed one year of service, based upon the results of a performance evaluation.

Although the City Council expects her to be available at all times, when she starts work June 30, she'll be credited 180 hours of vacation and 108 hours of sick leave. She'll then accrue sick leave at the rate of eight hours a month and vacation leave on an annual basis at the rate of 164 hours per year. Additionally, she is entitled to an annual administrative leave of 80 hours.

The City Council meeting will start at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto.