Vancouver city manager Holmes gets 10% pay raise

Vancouver City Council on Monday unanimously approved a 10% pay raise for City Manager Eric Holmes. The increase, which is retroactive to June 1, brings Holmes’ salary to $293,091 plus benefits.

Holmes has served since being promoted to deputy city manager in October 2010. According to council documents, the city began its annual review of Holmes’ performance in July and concluded earlier this month- ci, giving it an “excellent” rating.

Despite the board’s clear support, there was no discussion of the review or salary increase at Monday’s meeting.

During Holmes’ 11 years as city manager, he received annual increases ranging from 1.5% (in 2013) to 17% (in 2014). His starting salary in 2010 was $161,500.

In 2019, the Portland Business Journal ranked Holmes among the 50 highest paid city workers in Portland and Vancouver and the Oregon cities of Hillsboro, Beaverton and Gresham. Rankings were based on base salaries, excluding any bonuses or benefits. Holmes’ salary at the time was $247,279, which he said was around the median for comparable city managers.

Holmes is the only staff member for whom the city council can set severance and hire or fire.

Vancouver has a municipal/council form of government, where elected officials set policy and the professional administrator implements that policy.