Dixon hires top official to run city

Dixon hires top official to run city
Council OKs Houston for the city manager's job, despite some reservations about her annual compensation.
By Melissa Murphy
Article Launched: 06/11/2008

A new city manager was hired Tuesday night in a split decision by the Dixon City Council.

The council voted twice, once for Nancy Huston's qualifications and once for her salary.

The council voted 4-1, Councilman Steve Alexander dissented, that Huston was a right fit for the city. The council then voted 4-2, Alexander and Vice Mayor Michael Gomez dissented, on the compensation for Huston.

"I have no doubt in my mind that you are qualified for the job," said Gomez during the City Council meeting. "But we need to show fiscal restraint."

After Interim City Manager Sandra Sato conducted further revisions to her analysis of compensation compared to former City Manager Warren Salmons' salary, Huston will receive a total compensation of $229,511.97 up from Salmons' total compensation of $227,559.14. That is a difference of $1,952.83.

Huston will be earning $170,000 in base pay, up from the $160,371 Salmons made a year ago, a difference of $9,629.

Some councilmembers are pleased with the new hire.

"She is the best candidate and the best qualified," Councilman Jack Batchelor said. "She has an outstanding reputation. The city will be led very well."

Batchelor explained that Huston's salary is less the 1 percent more than Salmons'.

Still, some were uncomfortable with such a high salary.

City Treasurer David Dingman pointed to an increasing unemployment rate and a decline in the housing market, a direct correlation to less tax revenue for the city.

"This is not the time for a city of 17,000 to be paying almost a quarter of a million dollars," Dingman said. "It's too much for Dixon. It's ludicrous."

Alexander agreed.

"This is the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. "I can't in good conscience vote in favor of the entire package."

Huston will begin her new job in Dixon on June 30 and is excited about the tasks ahead.

"I know there are challenges in the city, but I'm ready to work with the council," she said. "I'm OK with controversy."

Mayor Mary Ann Courville also is glad Huston was hired.

"I'm so very pleased," she said. "You can name an issue in Dixon and she's already been through it."

Huston has served as assistant city manager in Fairfield for the last 11 years.

The nationwide search for a city manager began in September when former City Manager Warren Salmons announced that he would be leaving.

Several questions have surrounded how the closed session meetings to hire a new city manager were held.

City Attorney Michael Dean reassured the public that all notices of closed session meetings were in accordance with the Brown Act.