3 top Newport Beach officials get raises

June Casagrande

The three city employees who work directly for the City Council

all received 5% pay raises on Tuesday based on annual performance

evaluations.

City Atty. Bob Burnham got an $8,250 raise, bringing his salary to

$173,250. This is on top of a $9,000-a-year raise he received in

April, which was based on a survey the city conducted of other city

attorneys’ salaries in the region.

City Manager Homer Bludau got an $8,500 pay increase. He will now

make $178,500. He will still receive a $3,600-a-year car allowance.

City Clerk Lavonne Harkless’ $88,000-a-year salary was raised to

$92,400. She has not received a raise since August 2001.

“I work very closely with all three of them, and I can tell you

they’re all very good, very capable people,” said Councilman Steve

Bromberg, who served as a member of the council subcommittee to

evaluate the performance and salary of the three workers.

“I can’t imagine that other cities could have people as capable as

these three,” he said. “On a daily basis, they prove it.”

Bludau was hired by the city in 1999 at a reduced pay rate because

he had less experience than city recruiters were hoping for.

In March, council members agreed that Bludau had proven himself

and upped his pay from the deflated $145,000 to $170,000.

That figure, which was arrived at in part by surveying other city

managers’ salaries in the region, ranked Bludau’s salary as No. 12

among the 20 Orange County city managers surveyed.

“I love working for the city of Newport Beach, and this council

has always treated me very well,” Bludau said. “I appreciate the way

they continue to deal with me and show their appreciation.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.