7/30/09
Despite a stated freeze on Rio Arriba County raises caused by plummeting oil and gas revenues, seven Finance Department employees received salary increases this year, County documents show.
The County faces a projected $6.5 million revenue shortfall due to dropping oil and gas revenues and the County cannot afford give employees raises this year, former County comptroller Mary Louise Martinez had said prior her June 30 retirement. County employees would receive only relatively modest $400 cost-of-living step raises this year, Martinez had said.
“We received $12 million in oil and gas revenues for fiscal year 2008-2009,” Martinez had said in June. “For the final fiscal year 2009-2010 budget, we’re projecting only $5.5 million. That’s a $6.5 million drop in revenues. Over the past five years, we’ve given each County employee a $1,940 per year raise. They will not be hurting because the County’s always been very generous with salary increases over the years.”
But seven of Martinez’s former colleagues received raises of up to 15 percent this year, County records show (see box). They were the only County staff to receive raises this year, County Human Resources Director Jessica Madrid said.
The largest raise went to County Finance Director Christine Montaño, who received a $8,720 (14.6 percent), raise. Montaño’s new salary is $68,505 a year. Assistant Finance Director Guadalupe Mercure received a $7,680, or 15 percent, raise. Mercure’s new salary is $58,825.
“Not all the Finance Department employees received raises,” Assistant County Manager Tomas Campos said. “Only those who whose work loads will be differentially impacted by Mary Louise (Martinez)’s retirement, were given raises.”
Although several County employees complained privately about the raises, none would comment on the record for this story.
The County does not plan to fill Martinez’s former position, which paid an annual salary of $84,940. Martinez said before she retired that she is not going to use a loophole in state law that would allow her to be rehired after 45 days and be paid her pension and full salary CHECK.
In the wake of Martinez’s retirement, Montaño is spearheading the budgeting responsibilities Martinez had previously handled, Montaño said. The County’s final fiscal year 2009-10 budget is in preparation and is due to the state Tax and Revenue Department by Friday.
Montaño is also coordinating the County’s interactions with state auditors. Rio Arriba was selected in June to be the first county government to undergo an audit by State Auditor Hector Balderas since he was elected in 2006.
Martinez could not be reached for comment Monday.