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 to her June 30 retirement. County employees would receive only relatively modest $400 cost-of-living step raises this year, Martinez had said.
But seven of Martinez’s former colleagues received raises of up to 15 percent this year, County records show. They were the only County staff to receive raises this year, Human Resources Director Jessica Madrid said.
The largest raise went to County Finance Director Christine Montaño, who received a $8,720 (14.6 percent) bump to $68,505 a year. Assistant Finance Director Guadalupe Mercure received a $7,680, or 15 percent, raise to $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.”
The County does not plan to fill Martinez’s former position, which paid an annual salary of $84,940. Martinez has been working for free to help the Finance Department complete the County’s fiscal year 2009-2010 budget, and does not intend to return to County employment after the budget is complete, Campos said.
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.
The following is a list of the other finance employees who received raises followed by their new salary and the amount of their raise:
• Purchasing specialist Cindy Martinez’s — $51,640 ($3,520)
• Grants/Contracts coordinator Beatrice Maestas — $47,960 ($2,480)
• Finance V Phoebe Martinez — $40,520 ($2,480)
• Finance IV Alicia Aguilar — $36,440 ($2,480)
• Indigent Fund Coordinator Sheila Vigil — $48,600 ($1,440)