City Manager Compensation & Contract History
Karen Pinkos has served as El Cerrito’s City Manager since December 26, 2018. Her employment agreement has been amended three times. This page documents the compensation and benefit terms across each version of the agreement, in chronological order.
Note: the Koff & Associates citywide compensation study (see Compensation Study) excluded the City Manager position entirely from its benchmark list. This page is compiled directly from the employment agreements themselves, not from that study.
Contract Term History
| Agreement | Effective Date | Term Through |
|---|---|---|
| Original Employment Agreement | December 26, 2018 | December 31, 2021 |
| First Amended Employment Agreement | December 1, 2020 | December 31, 2023 |
| Second Amendment to Employment Agreement | (amends term only) | December 31, 2024 |
| Third Amended Employment Agreement | December 4, 2024 (authorized by Resolution 2024-93, adopted December 3, 2024) | December 31, 2029 |
Base Salary
| Agreement | Monthly Base Salary | Performance-Based Increase Provisions |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Original | $19,166.67 | Up to 4% Jan. 2020; up to 4% Jan. 2021 (Council discretion, satisfactory performance) |
| First Amended (2020) | $19,166.67 (reset to this figure; prior COLA increases reversed effective the first Jan. 2021 pay period) | — |
| Third Amended (2024) | $21,782, effective Jan. 1, 2025; +4% effective July 1, 2025 | Up to 5% each January 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 (Council discretion, satisfactory performance) |
All versions of the agreement also provide an annual cost-of-living increase matching whatever COLA is applied to the City’s unrepresented management employees, effective the first pay period of each July. If that group receives no COLA in a given year, the City Manager’s base salary receives none either.
Source: 2018 Employment Agreement, Section 3; First Amended Employment Agreement, Section 3; Third Amended Employment Agreement, Section 3.
The January 2026 Increase
The Third Amended Agreement’s Section 3(C) permits a discretionary increase of up to 5%, contingent on the City Council’s determination of satisfactory performance, effective the first pay period of January 2026. At the most recent budget cycle, this increase was granted at the maximum 5% permitted under the contract.
Vehicle Allowance
| Agreement | Monthly Auto Allowance |
|---|---|
| 2018 Original | $350 |
| First Amended (2020) | None (removed) |
| Second Amendment | $450, specified for an “eco-friendly vehicle” |
| Third Amended (2024) | $450, continued |
Source: 2018 Employment Agreement, Section 6; First Amended Employment Agreement, Section 6; Second Amendment, Section 2; Third Amended Employment Agreement, Section 6.
Retirement Benefits
- CalPERS enrollment, standard across all agreement versions, with the City electing to report employer-paid member contributions (EPMC) as additional compensation under Government Code §20636(c).
- Voluntary additional contribution: since Addendum No. 1 (June 24, 2020), Pinkos has reimbursed the City an additional 3.0% of the employer’s required CalPERS contribution.
- 457(b) deferred compensation (new in the Third Amended Agreement): effective January 1, 2025, the City contributes “the maximum sum allowed by law” into a 457 deferred compensation account with MissionSquare Retirement, including pre-retirement incentives (excluding the special “last 3-year catch-up” deferral option). This provision did not exist in any prior version of the agreement.
- Retirement Health Savings Plan (new in the Third Amended Agreement): effective January 1, 2025, the City contributes $300/month to a Retirement Health Savings Plan account.
Source: Third Amended Employment Agreement, Sections 4(B) and 7(E); Addendum No. 1 (referenced in First Amended Employment Agreement, Section 7(C)).
Leave Benefits
- Sick and vacation leave accrue at the same rate as other management employees, per Council resolution.
- Executive/administrative leave: 75 hours credited each July 1 (37.5 hours in the first partial year). Upon termination or resignation, 100% of accumulated, unused administrative leave is paid out.
- Standard paid holidays, floating holidays, birthday holiday, and bereavement leave, matching other management employees.
- Upon termination (voluntary or involuntary), all accrued vacation, sick, and holiday leave is compensated at the then-current monthly salary rate — or, alternatively, applied toward CalPERS service credit if permitted.
Source: Third Amended Employment Agreement, Section 5.
Termination & Severance
- At-will employment: the City Manager serves at the pleasure of the Council and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause, subject to Charter restrictions. The agreement explicitly states this confers no property interest in continued employment.
- Election-period protection: employment cannot be terminated during the 90 days before or after a City Council election, or during the 90 days following a change in Council membership (by election or appointment).
- Severance: a lump-sum payment equal to 12 months’ base salary if the City terminates without cause or gives notice of non-renewal.
- Resignation-at-Council-request clause: if the Council, by majority vote, asks the City Manager to resign, she is entitled to resign and still receive the same severance benefits as an involuntary termination without cause. This provision was first introduced in the 2020 amendment and has been carried forward in each subsequent version.
- Abuse-of-office clawback: per Government Code §53243.2, any severance payment must be fully reimbursed to the City if the City Manager is later convicted of a crime involving abuse of office, as defined in §53243.4.
Source: Third Amended Employment Agreement, Sections 9, 10, and 11.
Other Provisions
- Professional development: the City budgets for travel, subsistence, and conference costs (League of California Cities, ICMA, California City Management Foundation, and similar organizations), plus membership dues for local civic/professional organizations.
- Indemnification: the City defends and indemnifies the City Manager in actions arising from her official duties, with an exception where an act is later found outside the scope of employment or would violate Government Code §995.2.
- Outside activities: the position is designated as the City Manager’s sole employment, though limited outside teaching or consulting may be approved in writing by the Mayor with notice to the full Council.
- Annual performance evaluation: required at least once per calendar year (by the following January), which the Council may use as the basis for compensation decisions.
Source: Third Amended Employment Agreement, Sections 8, 12, 14, and 15.