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Riviera Beach City Council debate new contract for city manager

Jonathan Evans commands hefty salary, plenty of debate
Posted at 10:43 PM, Jul 13, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-14 09:10:52-04

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Riviera Beach leaders are negotiating the terms of a new contract with the highly paid city manager.

"If you renew his contract, please make that his head departments are filled with employees," one woman said during a City Council meeting Wednesday night. "That way he doesn't have two jobs. He's not capable of doing one job."

Jonathan Evans is in contract negotiations with city leaders about pay and the length of his contract.

"Four years are applicable for where we are and where we're going," one woman said.

Another woman was straight to the point.

"He's been the only city manager that's made any kind of moves in here," she said. "If you guys work together, you can even more moves."

When it comes to Evans' contract, here's what's on the table: The City Council is offering a four-year contract with an option to renew for an additional four years. Evans' salary will stay at $220,667.

But that is only part of his salary and council members are digging for answers about a city paycheck nearly twice as big.

Council member Tradrick McCoy asked numerous questions about the city manager getting overtime pay or pandemic pay in case of an emergency.

"No other benefits include salary as well, includes overtime as well, includes pandemic or disaster pay benefits as well," McCoy said. "But, in some kind way, without this board's approval, the manager walks away with a W2 of $430,000 a year."

WPTV tried to contact Evans for a comment, but a city employee at the meeting turned down the request.

It's unclear whether the council will vote on Evans' new contract. Many residents who showed up for the meeting said they want Evans to focus on being city manager.