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Monday, May 03, 2010
Ind. Gov't. - "Attorney for East Chicago nets big contract "
Steve Zabroski reports today in the NWI Times:
EAST CHICAGO | The struggling city's top lawyer -- who also is a cousin of the embattled mayor -- received a new contract last week that could be worth as much as $268,000 a year.Corporation Counsel Carmen Fernandez was one of the first employees whom Mayor George Pabey hired when he took office in December 2004.
Without comment, the Board of Public Works and Safety last week approved a professional services agreement with Fernandez.
The contract dwarfs the pay rate of lawyers for other nearby cities. The corporation counsel for Hammond, a city nearly three times the size of East Chicago, is paid $55,349 annually.
The new contract with Fernandez sets a base retainer of $8,000 per month as well as all city employee benefits, including health insurance, and use of a take-home city vehicle.
She also will be paid $160 per hour for all hours worked beyond 50 hours in any one month, according to the contract.
The corporation counsel job has been considered full time at 35 hours per week. At that rate, the retainer of $96,000 per year plus 90 hours of "overtime" each month results in an annual $268,000 gross, not including benefits and the car.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 3, 2010 10:32 AM
Posted to Indiana Government