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HomeMy WebLinkAbout _ 9A--Appoint William Tarbox City Manager and Consider Approval of Employment Agreement GI �" Y C� F � � �- ' � ° � � i � CITY OF REDDING �� REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: January 6, 2026 FROM: Mike Littau, Mayor ITEM NO. 9A ***APPROVED BY*** mlittau@cityof'redding.gov �+���� �'� �� a a . y� � ; .... l�i�Ce��t ���M� '�r 1�l30/ZtJ25 �.��$�" � mlittau@cityofredding.gov SUBJECT: 9A--Appoint William Tarbox City Manager and Consider Approval of Emplo ment A eement Recommendation Appoint William Tarbox as the City of Redding City Manager and authorize the Mayor to execute the Employment Agreement at an annual salary of$295,000. Fiscal Impact Funding for Mr. Tarbox's $295,000 annual salary is included in the 2025-2027 Biennial Budget adopted in June 2025. The City agreed to a relocation reimbursement of up to $10,000 which would be incurred in year-one and is not an ongoing expense. The estimated annual cost, including all benefts, is estimated to be $359,900, and includes other compensation such as a car allowance, cell phone stipend, normal cost of Ca1PERS, Insurance, Medicare, and worker's compensation. Alterna�ive Action The City Council (Council) could decline to appoint Mr. Tarbox as City Manager and provide alternative direction to staff. Background/Analysis City Manager Barry Tippin retired from the City of Redding (City) in October 2025, after over 20 years of dedicated service to the community. The Council retained Peckham and McKenney to perform a comprehensive search for the City's next City Manager. Approximately 50 candidates applied for the position. The Council interviewed six candidates and invited three candidates back for a second interview on December 3, 2025. The Council has determined that William Tarbox is the best-qualified candidate for the position. Report to Redding City Council December 30,2025 Re: 9A--Appoint William Tarbox City Manager and ConsiderApproval of Employment Agreement Page 2 Tarbox brings more than 20 years of public-sector leadership experience, with a strong record of improving city services, strengthening fmancial stability, and building collaborative, community- centered organizations bringing people together to solve complex challenges with transparency, data informed decision-making, and steady service-driven leadership. Tarbox most recently served as Public Works Director for the City of Concord, CA, where he modernized operations, improved service delivery, and forged strong partnerships across regional agencies and community collaborators. His career also includes significant executive leadership roles in the City of Benicia and the City and County of San Francisco, where he oversaw infrastructure, utilities, and organizational initiatives that supported vibrant and complex communities. Environmental Review This is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act, and no further action is required. Council Priority/City Manager Goals This is a routine item. Attachments ^Tarbox - Draft CM Agreement EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT This Employment Agreement "(Agreement)" is made, entered into, and effective this 6�h day of January 2026, by and between the City of Redding (hereina�ter called "City"), and William Tarbox as City Manager (hereinafter called 'Bmployee"). RECITALS 1. City desires to employ the Employee as City Manager of the City of Redding pursuant to the authority as set forth in applicable state law including, but not limited to, Government Code Section 41801, et seq., and the Redding Municipal Code Section 2.08. et seq. 2. The City and the Employee desire to set forth in this Agreement the terms, conditions, and benefits of such employment. 3. The Employee desires to accept employment as City Manager as set forth herein. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties agree as follows: SECTION l. DUTIES: City hereby employs Employee as City Manager of the City to perform such functions and duties specified in the California Government Code and in Chapter 2.08 of the Redding Municipal Code as the City Council shall from time-to-time assign. SECTION 2. SALARY AND BENEFITS: A. City shall pay to Employee for his services rendered pursuant hereto, a yearly salary of TWO HLTNDRED NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($295,000) payable in installments at the same time as other employees of the City are paid. Employee's salary shall be reviewable in January of each year pursuant to Section 14 of this agreement, and may be adjusted in accordance with that Section, without amendment to this agreement by a majority vote of the City Council in open session. B. Employee shall accrue all benefits such as pension, vacation time, sick time, etc. as detailed in the City of Redding Employment and Benefit Policies for Unrepresented Employees, except that employee shall accrue 4 weeks of paid vacation per year in recognition o�his 20 years of government service. C. City shall provide Employee, to the extent not specifically mentioned in this Agreement, those benefits provided to Department Directors of the City or other executive management employees of the City. D. Employee will be entitled to two (2) weeks of administrative leave per calendar year(80 hours). E. Employee shall be reimbursed up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for relocation expenses and up to one month of property storage. SECTION 3. AUTOMOBILE: Employee shall have a monthly automobile allowance of FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500) paid by City to Employee. Employee's right to reimbursement for automobile mileage expense in excess of this amount shall be limited to trips which exceed one hundred (100) miles round trip. SECTION 4. DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS: City agrees to budget and to pay for the professional dues and subscriptions of Employee necessary for his continuation and full participation in national, regional, state, and 1oca1 associations and organizations, necessa�ry and desirable for his continued professional participation, growth, and advancement, and for the good of the City, not to exceed TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,000)per year. /// /// /// SECTION 5. GENERAL EXPENSES: Except for the automobile mileage reimbursement limitation set forth in Section 3, City shall reimburse Employee for necessary and actual expenses incurred by the Employee in the performance of the duties hereunder at the rate and for the purposes set forth in currently adopted City of Redding ordinances and policies. SECTION 6. AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT: A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Parties agree that Employee is employed as an "at-will" employee. Employee may terminate this Agreement consistent with the provisions of Section 7.B. The City Council may terminate this Agreement and discharge the Employee from his employment at any time and for any reason or no reason, and with or without notice. B. The term of this agreement sha11 be from the ���� � of February of 2026 to the of February 2029. SECTION 7. TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE AND SEVERANCE: A. In the event the City terminates this Agreement and discharges the Employee from his employment hereunder; for no reason or for any reason, except as set forth in Section 8, the City shall pay to the Employee, or his estate, in a lump sum or in installments without interest as the Employee or the executor of his estate may demand, an amount equal to six (6) months of the Employee's current annual salary, plus the Employee's accrued leave, consistent with City of Redding policies applicable to other executive management employees. Upon payment and acceptance of said sum by the Employee or his estate, the City sha11 not be obligated by contract, statute, or otherwise to pay Employee any additional amount of money for any reason. Employee aeeepts and acknowledges that the sum set forth in this Secrion 7.A. is the only amount which the City will owe to pay to Employee in the event of such discharge and termination of this Agreement and/or the manner or means by which same is accomplished. In exchange for the payment and receipt by Employee of the severance amounts set forth in this Section 7.A., and as consideration separate and apart from salary and benefits,the Employee hereby waives,releases, and discharges the City, its officers, employees and elected officials from a11 claims and causes of action, in law or equity, relating to acts or omissions of the aforementioned because of the discharge from employment or suggestion to resign and hereby promises and covenants not to sue the aforementioned for any reason except for the City's failure to pay said severance as established above. Should the Employee sue the City in violation of the above-stated promise, said suit shall be considered null and void and without merit and Employee shall, by suing, relinquish all rights (if any) to the six (6)months' salary as set forth hereinabove. Should the Employee sue the City in violation of the above stated promise, then the Employee shall immediately repay all sums previously paid under this Section,with interest, irrespective of the outcome of any such suit or its dismissal. B. In the event Employee voluntarily resigns from his employment with the City, the Employee shall give the City three (3) months written advance notice unless the City and Employee agree otherwise. In the event the Employee voluntarily resigns, neither the six (6) months'salary nor any portion thereof shall be paid to the Employee unless Employee's resignation is based upon City's breach of this Agreement. SECTION 8. TERMINATION FOR CAUSE: A. In the event the City terminates this Agreement and discharges the Employee from his employment hereunder because the Employee has breached this Agreement in a manner material to the performance of Employee's duties under this Agreement, which shall include, but not be limited to, dishonesty, malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, misrepresentation, incapacity due to injury or illness (physical or mental) ar conviction of any felony or conviction of any misdemeanor involving any illegal act,personal gain or, moral turpitude,then the City shall not be obligated to pay the Employee or his estate the six(6)months' salary nor any portion thereof as referenced in Section 7.A. In the event the Employee is under investigation for any of the foregoing reasons, the City inay withhold all or part of such severance pay until it is determined if charges will be filed, and if charges are filed, until fmal judgement is rendered. B. The City shall not be obligated to pay, and shall not pay, any amounts or continue any benefits under the provisions of this Agreement if Employee is terminated as a result of a conviction of a crime involving an abuse of his office or position. Any paid leave salary offered by the City to Employee pending an investigation shall be fully reimbursed by Employee if he is convicted of a crime involving the abuse o�his o�fice or position. For the purposes of this section, "abuse of office or position° means and is limited to the definition under Government Code section 53243.4 including either of the following: (a)an abuse ofpublic authority including but not limited to waste, fraud, and violation of the law under color of authority; or (b) a crime against public justice, including but not limited to, a crime described in Title 7 (commencing with Section 92) of Part 1 of the California Penal Code. SECTION 9. TERMINATION FOLLOWING ELECTION: Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 6 and 7 above, Employee may not be terminated (excepting for cause) for a period of three (3) months following a municipal election wherein (a) new Council Member(s) is(are) seated, to enable such new Council Member(s) adeguate time to assess Employee's performance. SECTION 10. BONDING. City shall bear the full cost of any fidelity or other bonds required of the Employee under any law or ordinance. SECTION 11. PERFORMANCE: During his employment, Employee shall devote his entire time and attention to the interest of the City in a manner consistent with the highest professional standards and City policies. Employee shall not teach, consult, or perform other non-City connected business or employment without the express prior written approval of the City Council. /// /// /// SECTION 12. OTHER TERM AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: A. The City Council with mutual consent of Employee, may amend or add any such other terms and conditions of employment, as it may determine from time to time, relating to the performance of Employee. B. Upon retirement, the Employee is entitled to payment by the City of inedical insurance program premiums, if any, as may be available to executive management employees. SECTION 13. OPTIONAL EVALUATION: The City Council is not required to,but may, evaluate the Employee. Upon request of the City Council, the Employee shall provide to the City Council proposed goals and objectives for the office of the City Manager and proposed evaluation documents, forms, and instruments. The City Council may, but is not required to, establish goals and objectives for the Employee after consultation with the Employee. Pursuant to Government Code section 54957(b)(4), no performance review held in closed session shall include discussion or action on proposed compensation. SECTION 14. COMPENSATION AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW: The City Council may, annually in the month of January, review and consider any adjustment of the Employee's salary as deemed appropriate by the City Council based upon the results of a performance review. Consistent with Government Code section 5495'7(b)(4), adjustments will not be discussed as part of any closed session performance review. SECTION 15. NOTICES: Notices pursuant to this Agreement sha11 be given by deposit in the United States Postal Service,postage prepaid, addressed as follows: 1. Employer: Mayor City of Redding 777 Cypress Avenue 2. Employee: William Tarbox 777 Cypress Avenue Redding, CA 96001 Alternatively, notices required pursuant to this Agreement may be personally served in the same manner as applicable to civil judicial process.Notice shall be deemed given as of the date of personal service or as of the date of deposit of such written notice in the United States Postal Service. SECTION 16. INDEMNIFICATION: In addition to that required under state and local law, City sha11 defend, save harmless and indemnify Employee against any tort,professionalliability claim or demand or other 1ega1 action, whether groundless or otherwise, arising out of an alleged act or omission occurring in the performance of Employee's duties as City Manager. City will compromise and settle any such claim or suit and pay the amount of any settlement of judgment rendered thereon. This indemnification will survive the termination of this Agreement. SECTION 17. GENERAL PROVISIONS: A. The text herein shall constit�ute the entire agreement between the parties. There are no oral agreements or understandings or any other written agreements which directly or indirectly affect the employment relationship between the City and the Employee. B. The Employee shall commence rendering services h�reunder no later than February ii, 2026. C. If any provision, or any portion thereof, contained in this Agreement is held unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement, or portion thereof, shall be deemed severable, shall be not affected, and shall remain in fu11 force and effect. D. Except as it relates to adjustment of salary pursuant to Section 2.A., no addition, modification, ainendment or deletion of this Agreeinent shall be valid unless it is in writing and executed by the parties to this Agreeinent. E. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs at law and executors of Employee. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City of Redding has caused this Agreement to be signed and executed in its behalf by its Mayor and duly attested by its City Clerk, and the Employee has signed and executed this Agreement, the day and year first above written. CITY OF REDDING, A Municipal Corporation Dated: MICHAEL LITTAU,Mayor CITY OF REDDING,EMPLOYEE Dated: WILLIAM TARBOX ATTEST: SHARLENE TIPTON, City Clerk