West Hartford's Manager, Town Clerk Awarded Pay Hikes

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Saying they aim to keep the pay of two local officials in line with other municipalities, West Hartford Town Council members Tuesday night approved raises for both.

At the council's regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, members approved a 2.5-percent pay hike for West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith and a total 5-percent pay raise for West Hartford Town Clerk Leon Davidoff, a Democrat who once served on the council.

Davidoff was appointed town clerk last January to replace the retired Essie Labrot and he was elected to his first term on his own last month after running unopposed.

Ledwith was appointed town manager in June 2022 after serving as an "acting" manager when former chief executive Matthew Hart moved on to a new job.

Saying Ledwith's raise is "well deserved and appropriate," the resolution approved by council members states the prior pay of West Hartford's chief executive is below standard pay in similar towns.

As a result, the town revised his salary from $172,510 to $176,823.

In addition, Ledwith was awarded two benefit increases. They are:

• The town's match of Ledwith's deferred compensation plan was increased from a maximum of 3 percent of the annual salary to 5 percent.

• Ledwith's annual automobile allowance increased from $6,000 a year to $7,500 a year.

Council members cited the work Ledwith is doing and the ultra-competitiveness in the municipal manager trade, where managers can often jump from town to town for more money.

"We are very lucky to have a very competent town staff. So much happens and a lot of responsibility falls on Mr. Ledwith," said Democratic West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor.

Cantor pointed out that many towns like West Hartford have full-time, assistant town managers, which West Hartford doesn't have.

According to Councilman Ben Wenograd, a Democrat who chairs the council's finance subcommittee, keeping Ledwith in West Hartford is a priority.

"We want to keep this guy. He's doing a great job and it's a competitive business. So if Rick's thinking at all about looking around, we want to make sure he doesn't," Wenograd said.

As for the town clerk, two separate raises were approved.

The town clerk raise was for 5 percent total over the course of Davidoff's four-year term.

His compensation was increased to $104,478 (2.5 percent) on Jan. 2, 2024, with another 2.5 percent raise to $107,090 on Jan. 2, 2026. The current pay is $101,930.

The resolution approved by the council indicates Davidoff's duties also include that of a town council clerk and his position was below that paid to town clerks in similar towns.

"We actually have to do this by state statute at the beginning of a term," Cantor said of setting the town clerk's pay.

"It's a demanding job and we are the ninth-largest community in the state of Connecticut and we are an active community with a lot going on."

For the resolution on West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith's pay increase, click on this link.

For the resolution on West Hartford Town Clerk Leon Davidoff's pay increases, click on this link.