Manager gets huge pay raise
Split City Council approves 23% boost for Vanderpool; salary now at $203K per year
The city manager in Macomb County’s second largest city has been granted a 23% raise, boosting his annual pay to about
$203,000.
The Sterling Heights City Council, on a 4-3 vote, makes City Manager Mark Vanderpool the highest paid public official in Macomb County and one of highest paid officials in southeast Michigan.
Although Vanderpool received high marks from the council and business community, critics said a significant raise doesn’t seen right during the COVID-19 public health crisis.“During a pandemic, when so many people are unemployed and businesses are closing, it’s almost a slap in the face for us to give our highest paid employee a $38,000 raise,” said Councilman Michael Radtke Jr.
Others disagreed, noting Vanderpool has overseen key projects in Sterling
Heights, communicates well with business leaders in the city and created an innovation district to promote the city’s manufacturing sector.
“That tone is set at the top,” said Mayor Michael Taylor. “It is expected by our council. The seven of us hold Mark Vanderpool to the highest possible stan
dard. He exceeds our expectations every year.”
City Attorney Marc Kaszubski said all Sterling Heights employees receive annual wage increases each year with the exception of the manager. But he has received cost of living adjustments of 3%, according to Radtke.
The manager also doesn’t receive a pension or retiree health coverage, instead opting for a contribution to a retirement and health care savings account similar to a 401k plan in the private sector. The alternative benefits are less costly than the traditional defined health benefit pension and retiree health care coverages, the city attorney said.
In making the case, Kaszubski did not mention that other city hall employees hired in since 2003 also do not receive defined pensions while, as is the case in most cities, police and firefighters still do.
The optics of giving a large raise during a global crisis didn’t sit well with some council members.
“I don’t think this is the time,” said Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski.
Councilwoman Barbara Ziarko said the council bore some of the blame for not imposing incremental pay adjustments previously. She said the city would likely have to spend that much money to conduct a search for a city manager should Vanderpool decide to leave Sterling Heights.
She said he is one of the best managers in the state.
“Sometimes the best of the best is taken for granted because they make the job look easy,” she said.
Vanderpool, who has been city manager since 2004, spoke during the council meeting. On Wednesday, a city spokesperson said he would not
comment further.
At the council meeting, Vanderpool noted his 16 years in Sterling Heights is an “exception” to a city manager’s average tenure of five years.
“It’s directly attributable to having a mayor and city council that shared a commitment to make Sterling Heights an exceptional community for businesses and residents,” Vanderpool said.
Council members Maria Schmidt and Henry Yanez joined Taylor and Ziarko in voting for the contract extension. Radtke and Sierawski, along with Councilwoman Deanna Koski, opposed it.
Sterling Heights, with a population 132,000, typically ranks fourth in size among Michigan cities and is second in Macomb County only to Warren.
Vanderpool has more than 25 years of municipal management experience. He began in Sterling Heights as city manager on July 1, 2004, and previously served as assistant village manager for Skokie, Ill. for 11 years. He also served as assistant city manager for Tecumseh, Mich. for four years, and as an administrative intern for Skokie for two years.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration/political science from Augustana College and a master’s degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University.
The pay rate makes Vanderpool the top paid public employee in Macomb County, putting him ahead of the $171,628 Executive Mark Hackel is paid and Warren Mayor Jim Fouts, who is the administrative head of that city, Macomb’s most populous and one of a handful in the county that employ a strong mayor form of government.
In neighboring Oakland County, Executive Dave Coulter receives $201,193 annually. Wayne County Executive Warren Evans is paid $171,690 a year.