City Manager contract finalized

City Manager Max Garbarino

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck officially has a new city manager in place.
Last week, the city council agreed to an employment contract with Max Garbarino, who had been interim city manager for several months before being selected as the new city manager.
While the posting for the job called for a salary at $110,000 a year, Garbarino will earn $120,000 – down from an earlier contract proposal that would have given him slightly more than $139,000.
But, Garbarino has a chance to earn an additional $20,000, according to terms in the contract. The contract initially called for the mayor to have sole discretion on whether Garbarino can receive the extra $20,000, depending on whether the city remains at “continued top-level performance”
But there was pushback from some on city council, and even from the public, about this arrangement. Garbarino agreed to allow a council sub-committee to decide ultimately, along with the mayor, about the pay raise.
Not everyone was supportive of the contract.
Former City Councilmember Carrie Beth Lasley is opposed to his salary, since it is higher than what the city initially said it would be in its job posting.
“If he didn’t want the job at the advertised rate, he should not have applied,” Lasley said.
Lasley also said the new salary proposal “stinks of corruption.”
Posted March 31, 2023