I completely agree!! Did the entire coucil agree to this?? Chino? Has anyone actually been to Chino?? No wonder the mayor didn't want the new tax money returned!!!

And didn't the city staff just agree to no salary increases for four years so they could get some new retirement benefits? How can a new city manager think he will get support from his employees that get 0% raises when he gets a 25% raise before he starts? CHINO????

Who ever engineered hiring Rojas should be sacked. Here is a stratified City Manger, who has been with the City of Chino for over 20 years. Do we want fast growth, which is certainly what Chino has been in the extreme? Do we want grade crossings and High Speed Rail?

Apparently the decision was not unanimous; eventually we will learn which council members were responsible.

Look for senior staff to be pushing for wage increases.

The City Manager job is very demanding and complex. $200K sounds completely appropriate for this position.

Ridiculous. Another ploy by Mizz Kelly to put her political career above Menlo Park.

Those of us who complained about Boesch may start to year for the good old days.

I don't care how much experience this guy has--he's been in Chino for eons. It's a very different demographic and different community from MP. If he were a dynamic, take charge guy with vision and fresh ideas, I'd have no problem with the $200k, but everything I've heard indicates that our troubles are about to multiply.

The 'stache alone makes him worth it! A handlebar is worth $260k.

There are a lot of problems and I have a hard time believing that they will be fixed, yet alone addressed.

I can't believe the level of discourse in this thread. Rojas can't do the job because he comes from Chino? His moustache is a valid point in the discussion of his salary? It's evidence that "Miz Kelly" is playing politics even though the vote to hire him was unanimous? Come on, folks. Can we stick to the issues?

If his record in Chino leads you to believe he was the wrong choice, please, give some examples.

Yes, I'm inclined to think that $204K is excessive, especially with the generous housing loan.

NO NO a thousand times NO, I don't think I'll ever yearn for the days of secrecy and questionable management practices that marked Boesch's rule.

And yes, Joanna, I too have a hard time believing that our many problems are going to be fixed, because I'm losing faith in the ability of this community to get beyond pettiness and divisiveness and pull together to help fix them.

Grow Up: Look at the examples from the other thread:
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Protesters: Chino Officials Should Resign

Claremont Courier

Oct. 22, 2003

In a square, gray room on the second floor of the Broad Center at Pitzer College, Chino residents, Pitzer students and members of the Coalition for Social Justice and Action met with Chino City Manager Glenn Rojas regarding hostility between the Chino Police Department and Chino residents.

These groups have charged the Chino Police Department with brutality, corruption and racial profiling of minorities in the Chino community.

“The chief can’t control his officers, the mayor can’t control the chief and the city manager can’t control the city,” said Jesse Diaz, a member of the coalition and a Pitzer alumnus.

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Groups Issue Demands to Police

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Oct. 11, 2003

In a meeting at Pitzer College, Chino residents and activists presented a formal list of demands to Chino officials regarding charges of brutality and corruption against the city’s police department. Jesse Diaz, a 2002 graduate of Pitzer and co-chairman of the Coalition for Social Justice and Action, said, “There’s no way that the police are being held accountable there in Chino for their action or inaction.” Diaz and the coalition want Chino officials to do more to educate residents about their rights and arrange for internal and external review boards to examine police activity. Jose Calderon, Pitzer professor of sociology and Chicano studies, supported the request by the coalition, Pitzer students, the Mexican American Political Association and Chino residents, that Chino City Manager agree to a hearing by the Los Angeles County Human Relations Committee and create a citizen’s police review board.

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looks like a poor fit to me.

All these bold statements hidden under all these pseudonyms. Let's overlook the obvious weakness of your position with no name put to it and just analyze the facts. Fact one, city managers get paid a lot more than a city manager who had his last raise many years ago. Fact two, market rates for city managers on the peninsula have to be the highest in the state -- property values, gasoline et al are. Fact three, there was a full and comprehensive interview and screening process which was public and I heard from council on this many times. Fact four, it is ridiculous and amateurish to write off or slam a new hire without giving fair time to allow this person to succeed. Fact five, you will now proceed to insult me with hidden names and proceed to take the same empty stance against this post.

Pseudonyms Are Fun INDEED!!

PAF, if you are who I think you are, you know more about Rojas than has been in the press, and you should be well aware that there are reasons for many of us to be concerned.

It would be really nice if he succeeded. It would be nice if ten major companies established their sales offices in Menlo Park tomorrow. We can always dream.

Ugh. If you only knew. I know only what is public about Mr. Rojas.

But I can Google real well. Palo Alto's city manager hit the $200,000 mark in 2004-2005. I know Belmont is paying its city manager $197,000. Mike Garvey the former city manager of San Carlos made $191,000 in 2004. Type in "city manager" and "city" and when you get the name of the city manager, search that name and the word salary.

Quite the insider, eh?

I also know that this forum has been a little vicious. That is my point. I plan to judge this city manager on his record not on my feelings about Chino.

I have said in the past that this city council needs lots of fixes, but this is not one of them in my opinion.