The Concord City Council is expected to consider an employment agreement Tuesday night appointing Jerome “Jay” Wilverding as the next City Manager for the City of Concord. Wilverding brings decades of public and private sector experience, including more than 25 years in financial and managerial leadership roles. He spent more than two decades working in the East Bay, including in Concord and Walnut Creek, before transitioning into local government in 2010. His government experience includes serving as Chief Accountant for Contra Costa County and later as Auditor-Controller for San Joaquin County. Most recently, Wilverding served as County Administrator for San Joaquin County, overseeing a $2.9 billion budget, approximately 8,000 employees, and 20 departments. He managed the county’s day-to-day operations for three years before being placed on administrative leave and later terminated without cause. If approved, Wilverding would officially begin the position on June 22, 2026, following the retirement of longtime City Manager Valerie Barone. Under the proposed agreement, Wilverding would receive an annual salary of $346,931. The contract also includes a $15,000 annual contribution to a deferred compensation account, paid leave benefits, reimbursement for mileage, and up to $10,000 in moving expenses as he relocates to Concord.
https://www.sjgov.org/department/bos/board-news/board-news-detail/2024/03/13/board-places-county-administrator-on-leave-pending-termination-of-contract
I recall reading something about him a couple of years ago. It appears
he is fiscally conservative, and nonpartisan. He was fired because he
disagreed with a $25 million budget to fund projects for the homeless.
He said it was a lot of money, and it was his job to manage the county’s
budget for public improvements.
Perhaps antioch could get some pointers on how to find a city manager.
Wow what a heck of a salary package!! No wonder why this city is so broke. Stack more money at the top.
You get what you pay for.
He would be an excellent choice.
If he is fiscally conservative, he is going to be in shock when he sees how some of the Dept Head’s spend city money. They think it is their personal money and they can spend and waste it however they like and no one says a thing. The motto has been to let the Dept’s run their operation. That means with no over sight when it comes to spending public funds.
With that big salary I am sure the City Attorney has already started throwing a fit because she thinks she should make more than the City Manager. None of them in that office could make it in the world of billable hours, which is why they are working for the city while working from home.
Hopefully he will come in and make them all accountable and clean house. There is a lot of dead weight and people who are not qualified for the jobs they hold.
Wait until he sees the Assistant City Manager who is the failed previous Public Works Director who got multiple votes of no confidence. He didn’t have a clue about how to run that department. So the current City Manager had to rescue little Justin and make him an ACM. All the Dept Head’s had a laugh because none of them wanted to report to him. They all know he isn’t qualified and a waste of an FTE.
It’s a total mystery to me why a City of 124,000 residents in a County of more than a million residents can’t find a business executive from within their own boundaries. Someone with skin-in-the-game. To import, and pay premium plus-plus to import …. stupid, is the term that comes to mind. For that kind of money they could buy a money grubbing wayward preacher or power hungry es bar & brothel owner.
I might’ve applied for the job myself if it paid better.
For that kind of money he better figure out how to fix the potholes.
Winston,
.
He’ll have to deal with the $3 million budget deficit that the City of Concord has first, and don’t forget the $3 million that’s already been cut from the city budget. The City of Concord is BROKE!!! They’ve already discussed the possibility of raising our sales tax again.
Black Knight,
They’re broke because they have bad spending priorities. They can have a very different budget if they change what they spend money on.
Winston,
.
The Concord City Council doesn’t want different spending priorities. The Concord Police Department is where a majority of the city budget is spent and they have no will or desire to cut the CPD budget because they all have a desire to hold higher office and they all want and depend on the Concord Police Association endorsement for their reelection.
Well I think I figured it out. He’s already 65, so could have retired on a nice fat gov’t pension…but… if he can stick another (I’m estimating) two years in Concord, with a starting salary already planned to be higher than he ever made in his multiple bounce-around positions in both Contra Costa Co, and Stockton, he’ll be able to retire, pulling the “high-dollar final salary” bulk of his combined California retirement benefits out of Concord. Wow!
Did anyone notice how he grew his last year’s basic salary from the middle $300Ks to a whopping DOUBLE that in benefits? WOW. Over $600K. No wonder Stockton couldn’t afford to keep him.
Concord Pensions are already killing our budget…! I’m thinking both he and wife at 65 years old probably don’t have a lot of kids to support. But no doubt it will still be hard to give up that huge 5- bedroom waterfront home with a private dock for his yacht, but then, Concord City leaders don’t
mind showing off and flashing 💸 OPM, when they get a chance.
Valerie Barone is probably, hopefully, not too offended that they are offering the NEW Man
more 💵 than she’s mustering out with after more than, what? a couple decades in Concord as
city-assistant manager and then Top Woman in the job.
I doubt she expected the salary discrepancies to abate in her lifetime anyway.
What??? – He managed the county’s day-to-day operations for three years before being placed on administrative leave and later terminated without cause.
WC—Creeker,
.
You’ve got that right!