COMMUNITY
Compensation: East Palo Alto Sanitary District And The West Bay Sanitary District
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l Ravenswood continues its series on public agency compensation with this issue focusing on the two sanitary sewer districts serving both East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. The two wastewater special districts, the East Palo Alto Sanitary District (EPASD) and the West Bay Sanitary District (WBSD), have their boundaries stretching into both cities. In 2018, the East Palo Alto Sanitary District had five employees while West Bay Sanitary District had 30. In the same year, the General Manager’s compensation accounted for 8% of the West Bay Sanitary District’s total personnel budget, however the East Palo Alto’s General Manager/ District Engineer’s compensation accounts for 50% of the agency’s total personnel budget. While the average compensation for the Board of Directors for West Bay was $5,005 annually, accounting for 0.14% of its total personnel budget, the average director compensation for the East Palo Alto Sanitary District was $16.576 in 2018, accounting for 4% of the District’s personnel expenses. In addition, EPASD directors receive benefits. Special districts are local government agencies established in a community to provide a service usually in an area not provided by the county or city. Special districts are either enterprise districts that bill customers directly or through property taxes (such as both the EPASD and Westbay Sanitary District) or non-enterprise districts that are funded by voter-approved taxes or assessments (e.g., recreation or fire districts).
Dennis Scherzer, the longest serving Director on the East Palo Alto Sanitary District.
Akin Okupe General Manager/ District Engineer.
Glenda Savage Highest compensated Director in 2018.
Phil Scott West Bay Sanitary District 2018 General Manager
JULY - AUGUST 2020 EL RAVENSWOOD 7
