City manager gets $10,000 bonus

The Carson City Board of Supervisors granted Carson City Manager Linda Ritter a $10,000 year-end bonus after reviewing her request in a closed session Thursday.

The bonus is a result of a board evaluation of Ritter's job performance during the last year.

For the review, Ritter submitted a self-evaluation of her completion of projects, communication skills, interpersonal skills, self-management, decision-making and resource management, asking for $10,200 out of a maximum available bonus of $19,500. She received $10,000.

"I was treated very fairly by the board," Ritter said Friday. "We had some things happen this year, like the Waterfall fire, so there are certainly things that were delayed that I want to get done."

Her communication this year was "exceptional," she said, while her decision-making was "commendable."

"I effectively communicate with city staff, members of the public and elected officials," she said. "During the Waterfall fire event, I organized and participated in several town hall meetings and communicated with empathy and concern for victims."

Ward 3 supervisor Pete Livermore said board members unanimously agreed with Ritter's assessment of her response to the fire.

"She did an exceptional job during the Waterfall fire so we added an unusual circumstance into the bonus," Livermore said.

Ritter was also evaluated on several projects, including her ability to facilitate completion of the Carson City freeway, retain and expand business within city limits, enhance the city's Web site, meet the schedule for the development of a city master plan, and facilitate the development of an auto mall in Carson City.

Ritter asked for maximum allotments for her participation in the master plan, her preparation of a Carson City Legislative package for the 2005 Legislature, implementation of finding from an internal audit and completion of the freeway deal with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

The freeway agreement is completed and approved by the city board and the Nevada State Transportation Board, the legislative package is complete, and the city's master plan is on schedule.

Ritter did not ask for any amount associated with other projects, including developing a local business support program and drafting a Carson City lands bill.

The lands bill would identify future uses of federal land for possible approval by the city board, though development of the bill has been delayed until completion of the master plan.

Ritter has made a presentation to the city board concerning a plan for retaining businesses in Carson City. She reported that the "program is not completely defined, and all volunteers are not identified."

Ritter did not receive the $1,700 she asked for when negotiating an incentive package for development of an auto mall in Carson City.

"The auto mall isn't anywhere yet," Livermore said.

Ritter said she will focus her efforts on turning the auto mall into a reality, though the project will not take precedence over other unfinished ventures.

"I want to finish all of these projects," she said. "It's hard for me to sit down and pick one over the other. They're all extremely important, and they all need to happen."

Ritter's annual salary is $99,000, paid out of the city's general fund. Her bonus brings her total 2004 pay to $109,000.

Contact reporter Robyn Moormeister at rmoormeister @nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.

The city manager's

career path

Linda Ritter grew up and attended schools in the Reno area and received her bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Nevada, Reno.

She left Reno for Elko in 1980, and was hired as chief deputy county treasurer in 1983.

In 1987, she was hired by the Elko county manager to serve as budget officer, then promoted to comptroller in 1989 and assistant county manager in 1991.

In February 1997, she began her employment with the city of Elko as the city manager.

In June 2003, Ritter was selected to serve as Carson City manager.