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TRPA director's raise
comes with criticism
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Six months into the fiscal year, John Singlaub,
executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning
Agency, finally received his requested
cost-of-living salary increase - the same raise
every other agency employee received last July.
But his raise wasn't granted with confidence. Many
governing board members, at their meeting
Wednesday, continued to express doubts about
Singlaub's ability to oversee the operations of
the bistate planning agency.
"We can't, in good conscience, go forward in
spending taxpayers' money to increase (Singlaub's
salary) until we get some correction on John's
performance," said board member Coe Swobe.
Ten governing board members approved Singlaub's
raise at the agency meeting Wednesday at the
Chateau in Incline Village, defeating four
opposing votes. The action will increase the
director's salary to $132,958.
"I think to deny (Singlaub) a cost-of-living
increase just sends the wrong message," board
member Steven Merrill said. "And does not set the
tone that we want to turn this around into a
positive experience."
In a separate motion, board members Swobe, Jim
Galloway, Chuck Ruthe, Bruce Kranz and Mike Weber
all voted to further postpone Singlaub's raise
until March, after Singlaub's leadership
development plan is approved and implemented.
Galloway said he wanted to postpone Singlaub's
raise because it would be "better for the harmony
of the board." But when the motion to postpone the
raise failed, Galloway changed his position and
voted in favor of the cost-of-living increase,
which is retroactive to July 2007.
Singlaub's raise comes two months after his
performance review in November, when governing
board members voiced dissatisfaction with the
director's management, leadership and
communication skills. Some board members did,
however, acknowledge the difficulty of the
position.
Five of the 15 board members were absent for the
November vote, so the board failed to reach the
majority necessary to grant Singlaub his requested
salary adjustment. Board member Shelly Aldean
requested in November that the adjustment be
reconsidered at the next governing board meeting.
After his review, Singlaub was directed to create
a development plan over the next 90 days that will
improve his leadership abilities.
At Wednesday's meeting, Singlaub said the
development plan, which will set milestones for
improvement, will be ready for board approval in
February.
"(Singlaub) was very receptive to the comments I
made," Aldean said. "And hopefully all members of
the board will make constructive comments, whether
they be positive or negative."
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