EL CENTRO — The Imperial County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday, April 22 to approve a revised job description and a new salary range for the county executive officer position, setting the stage for recruitment with an annual pay between $230,000 and $290,000 depending on qualifications.
The decision followed a divided discussion over the size of the increase, with some supervisors warning against the financial impact while others arguing it was necessary to stay competitive in the job market.
The board unanimously approved changes to the job description, expanding the educational and experience requirements for the county’s top administrative role. However, it was the proposed salary range — a potential 32 percent increase from the previous flat salary of $219,000 held by recently dismissed CEO Miguel Figueroa — that drew criticism from Supervisor Martha Cardenas-Singh, who cast the lone dissenting vote.
“I just caution us to take a look at the ranges,” Cardenas-Singh said. “I am highly concerned about increasing the range by 32 percent for this position.”
Cardenas-Singh pointed to the board’s action earlier that day to reduce the salary classification for the Clerk of the Board position, describing that decision as a necessary correction after a previous increase was deemed too large. She urged her colleagues to apply the same scrutiny to the CEO salary discussion.
“We just took action today to right-size that correctly and bring it back down to a 17 percent increase,” Cardenas-Singh said. “If we have right-sized what the clerk of the board should be, then I’m just sharing that we should also take a look at not increasing large percentages like that had happened in the past.”
The board had approved Item 32 on the consent agenda to reallocate the Clerk of the Board position from Range 390 — which carried a monthly salary between $8,776 and $11,204 — to Range 364, reducing the range to $7,673 to $9,800 per month. The adjustment reversed a 2023 decision that had increased the classification by 30 percent, which several supervisors described as excessive.
Supervisor Jesus Escobar also raised concerns during the CEO salary discussion, initially calling the proposed increase inconsistent with the board’s earlier vote to reduce the clerk’s pay.
“I find it borderline hypocritical that we are decreasing it and yet we are increasing the CEO position,” Escobar said. “It sends a very, very, very dangerous signal to our 2,300 employees.”
Escobar noted that the county is currently undergoing a salary study aimed at reviewing compensation across all departments. He said approving a significant increase for the CEO role while reducing another salary in the same meeting could undermine employee trust.
“Our employees come first and I really feel uncomfortable in decreasing one salary and in the same agenda now we’re increasing the other salary,” Escobar said.
Board Chairman John Hawk proposed a compromise, suggesting the salary range begin at $230,000 rather than the originally discussed $250,000, with the upper limit remaining at $290,000. Hawk argued that offering a competitive range was necessary to attract qualified candidates, especially given the scope of responsibilities and comparisons to other executive salaries in the region.
“The CEO of the IID is in excess of four hundred thousand (dollars a year),” Hawk said. “Obviously we’re in the range. I think if we were at 230 to 290 then depending on qualifications you could make that judgment.”
Supervisor Peggy Price supported Hawk’s suggestion, stating that while she had opposed past salary increases she viewed the revised range as reasonable if tied to education and experience.
“We’re looking for someone with experience, with education,” Price said. “I like that idea, Supervisor Hawk, that on the higher range that they have the higher education.”
Supervisor Ryan Kelley also backed the adjusted range, noting his previous opposition to the 2023 clerk salary increase and expressing support for moving forward with recruitment under the new terms.
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“I completely support the idea that Supervisor Hawk is widening the range to a lower limit,” Kelley said. “Let’s get this circulated and let’s get it going.”
Before the board voted, Deputy Director of Human Resources and Risk Management Brenda Olivas-Neujar detailed the full compensation package associated with the CEO position. In addition to the proposed salary range, the benefits package could bring total annual compensation to more than $426,000.
“The benefits are per contract but it will usually include retirement contributions, Medicare, health insurance contributions, dental and vision coverage, health reimbursement account, life insurance policy, a life insurance stipend, paid holidays, paid sick leave, vacation and management leave, and a car allowance,” Olivas-Neujar said. “As per negotiations, it could also include a tuition reimbursement, vacation buyback and sick leave buyback. The estimated cost for the benefits would be up to $136,000 … for a total of $426,844 total salary and benefits.”
Following clarification from Olivas-Neujar that the previous CEO salary was a flat $219,000 — the proposed range being part of the recruitment process — Supervisor Escobar reversed his position and voted in favor of the proposal.
“I was under the false impression that the previous range was 200 to 250,” Escobar said. “Given the fact that we do not have a range … I do agree with this proposal.”
The board ultimately approved both the revised job description and the new salary range. The vote for the job description passed unanimously, while the salary range passed 4-1 with Cardenas-Singh maintaining her opposition.
The CEO position became vacant following the board’s April 8 decision to terminate Miguel Figueroa and County Clerk Blanca Acosta during a closed session. Acosta’s tenure had drawn controversy, particularly after she received a significant raise in 2023 that was criticized by county staff and raised concerns about salary management.
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