By Kathryn Reed

After more than an hour of deliberations, the California Tahoe Conservancy board on Wednesday voted unanimously to give Executive Director Patrick Wright a 10 percent raise.

This comes after getting two less than stellar reviews in the last year.

Patrick Wright

Even so, Wright received a 4 percent bump in pay on July 1, 2017.

The latest raise brings his annual salary to $137,874.

Staff had recommended a 32 percent raise.  

Part of the issue is the deputy director and the CTC attorney make more than Wright – and still do even with the current adjustment. The deputy makes $151,488 and the lawyer $149,508.

These compaction issues occur because the state gives raises, not the local board, to employees. Wright is the only CTC employee the board has any say over.

The staff report had multiple charts comparing other state executives who work in the Tahoe area, as well as local government chiefs’ salaries.

So, the issue of who gets paid what is not being based on merit, but instead with keeping up appearances, which the powers that be say is the only way to then be able to recruit for that job in the future.

Had the staff recommendation been approved, Wright’s salary would have had him be the highest paid employee at the CTC — which is normal for the top person to be paid the most.

The increase is still subject to review by three other state agencies.

Wright’s next review is scheduled for June.