Pay hikes come, with words, for two top county leaders

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Pay hikes come, with words, for two top county leaders
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Unchanged during the 2024 election cycle, the newly returning Volusia County Council settled a bit of unfinished business affecting the county manager and the county attorney.

What has normally been done at the last meeting of the year was postponed in December because the council had only one regular meeting during that month. Thus the council took up evaluating the pair of leaders it directly appoints and debating pay raises for each of them. 

“I think we’ve had very good leadership,” Council Member Jake Johansson said at the outset of the critiquing, adding praise for both County Manager George Recktenwald and County Attorney Mike Dyer. “I think some things came up this year that put the staff in a pressurized environment.”

Those “things” were Hurricane Milton and the flooding that resulted from heavy rainfall before Milton and which continues into the new year.

“I do appreciate the time and the energy you spent in getting things done,” Johansson said, directing his words to the manager.

As for Dyer, Johansson described him as “always … responsive” amid “challenging issues.”

County Council Vice Chair Troy Kent likewise praised Recktenwald and Dyer, but recommended that each of them schedule “quarterly meetings” with people throughout the county.

“Not perfect, but the best team I’ve ever worked with,” Council Member David Santiago said.

“Without giving names and specifics, Santiago added he has “some issues with your team.”

Less generous in his review of Recktenwald was County Chair Jeff Brower.

“There are issues that I would like to see improvement on,” Brower told Recktenwald. “I would like to see you work as hard to protect the rights of residents … as you do to protect the county. … I do want to see you be more aggressive in preserving residents’ property rights.”

Brower mentioned the recent closing of a business in the unincorporated area north of DeLand, City Limits Taproom & Grille, as an example of county code-enforcement officials hurting businesses. Business owner Pete Ferrentino closed the nightspot Oct. 27 after a two-year controversy with the county government over alleged building and property violations.

“We lost a good business,” Brower said. “It seems that we acted as prosecuting attorneys against them.”

“I want to see better oversight of departments, especially code enforcement and public works,” he later added.

Not least, and flooding in many parts of the county continues or worsens, Brower expressed frustration over the county administration’s delay in presenting to him and to the rest of the council “a comprehensive stormwater plan that includes maintenance … and a plan on where we intend to put water.”

After voicing his concerns, Brower told his colleagues he would vote against pay raises for Recktenwald and Dyer.

In any event, Kent moved to give Recktenwald a 5-percent salary boost. Santiago quickly seconded the motion.

That percentage is equal to the pay increases given to the general county workforce under Recktenwald’s management. The pay raise was approved with a 6-1 vote. True to his word, Brower dissented.

Kent subsequently moved to increase Dyer’s salary by 5 percent. In a mirror-image vote for the county manager’s pay increase, the council passed the pay raise for Dyer.

Thus, Recktenwald’s annual salary jumps from $259,041 to $271,993, while Dyer’s pay rises from $242,138 per year to $254,245. Both beneficiaries of the council’s largesse expressed gratitude.

“I get to be the coach … of our winning team,” Recktenwald said.

“I’m not an eighth member of the council. I’m staff,” Dyer concluded.

BY THE NUMBERS
County manager and attorney pay by county

Lake County
$249,620.80
county manager
$253,011.20
county attorney

Brevard County
$286,536.90
county manager
$276,180.06
county attorney

Flagler County
$208,764.19
county manager
$315,069.68
county attorney

Volusia County
$259,041.79
county manager
$242,138.33
county attorney

— Information courtesy Volusia County (does not include Seminole, Orange or Sarasota counties

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