Commissioner Seeks Details On Proposed City Manager Contract Amendment Ahead Of Wednesday Meeting

Questions raised about compensation, process and timing before expected commission discussion.

Key West City Commissioner Sam Kaufman is seeking additional information about a proposed amendment to City Manager Brian Barroso’s employment contract ahead of Wednesday’s City Commission meeting, raising questions about the total compensation package, negotiation process and timing of the proposal.

Kaufman on Monday sent a memorandum to Orlando-based City Attorney Mayanne Downs and Barroso requesting a “clear accounting” of the full cost of the proposed contract amendment, including base salary, pension contributions, insurance and benefits, employer-paid taxes and the overall financial impact to the city.

Kaufman also asked whether commissioners participated in any negotiations leading to the proposal and why the amendment appeared on the agenda without prior commission input. Historically, he wrote, city manager contract negotiations have involved commissioners working with the city attorney before an item is formally scheduled for consideration.

“My intent is not to prejudge the proposal, but to ensure the Commission and the public have a clear understanding of the financial implications, governance considerations, and process issues associated with this item,” Kaufman wrote.

District II City Commissioner and Mayoral Candidate Sam Kaufman. / CONTRIBUTED

Kaufman, who is an attorney and is running for mayor against incumbent Danise Henriquez, has also been critical in recent weeks of what he describes as limited communication between Downs, Barroso and Assistant City Attorney Kendal Harden and the rest of the commission regarding key policy and contract matters.

The proposed amendment is scheduled for consideration Wednesday on the morning meeting’s consent agenda and would be approved without discussion unless pulled by a commissioner for debate and public comment.

The amendment includes changes to compensation and contract terms for Barroso. Public discussion in recent days has focused on the size of the proposed pay increase and related benefits, though city officials have not yet publicly detailed the full cost of the package.

Above the Fold previously reviewed the proposed amendment and found it could increase Barroso’s base salary by roughly 37 percent, to about $295,000 annually. When pension contributions, insurance and other benefits are included, the total value of the contract could approach $350,000. If approved at that level, Barroso — a first-time city manager with a background in finance — would rank among the highest-paid city managers in comparable Florida cities and among the highest-compensated municipal managers statewide.

In his email, Kaufman requested information on the amount budgeted for the city manager’s compensation in the current fiscal year, the projected difference between that amount and the proposed compensation, and how the city would fund any additional cost. He also asked for clarification on severance provisions in the amendment, which he said appear to expand payouts in the event of a termination without cause.

Kaufman further raised concerns about the timing of the proposed contract extension, noting it would extend the agreement roughly six months before a city election. He wrote that such timing could limit the ability of a newly elected commission to revisit the terms.

The commissioner also requested any comparative analysis conducted on compensation and contract terms for city managers in the Florida Keys or in similarly sized municipalities elsewhere in Florida.

City officials had not issued a formal response to Kaufman’s questions as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Key West City Commission is scheduled to meet Wednesday at City Hall with a morning session beginning at 9 a.m. and an afternoon session scheduled to be begin at 5 p.m. The meetings will also be live streamed on the City website.