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Report regarding a resolution approving an employment agreement between the City of South San Francisco and Laura Snideman for service as City Manager and amending the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Salary Schedule to reflect changes in the salary for the City Manager position. (Sky Woodruff, City Attorney)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving an employment agreement between the City of South San Francisco and Laura Snideman for service as the City Manager and amending the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Salary Schedule to reflect changes in the salary for the City Manager position.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Earlier this year, City Manager Sharon Ranals announced her intention to retire from her position as City Manager of the City of South San Francisco after more than 40 years of service with the City. Ms. Ranals’s last day of active service as City Manager will be December 30, 2025, which will also be her last day of employment with the City.
Upon Ms. Ranals’s announcement, City Council initiated a recruitment for a new City Manager in July, 2025, and retained Maria Hurtado of Peckham and McKenney to serve as the Executive Recruiter for a comprehensive search. The City received over sixty applications for the position. After initial screening interviews with the recruiter and review by City Council, a short list of candidates was prepared for interviews with the City Council. Following the interview process Council identified Laura Snideman as the top candidate, and an Ad Hoc Committee of Vice Mayor Addiego and Councilmember Nagales began the process of offering Ms. Snideman the position and negotiating the terms of employment, conditioned on a background and reference check, and final approval by the full Council.
Ms. Snideman previously served as the City Manager of the Cities of Calistoga, Richmond, and Half Moon Bay. Due to her depth of knowledge and experience Ms. Snideman is highly qualified to serve as the City’s City Manager.
The proposed agreement is the result of discussions among the Ad Hoc Subcommittee, Ms. Snideman, the Director of Human Resources, and City Attorney. Ms. Snideman’s first day of employment would be January 5, 2026. The agreement sets the annual base salary for the City Manager position at $380,400.00, or $31,700 per pay month. This amount is in line with that of other City Managers within San Mateo County and surrounding area, with consideration given to the size of the city, the incumbent’s tenure, and prior experience upon hire. It is 7.4% above the current base salary of the Police Chief, which will increase by 4% in July, 2026. Benefits would be the same as provided to employees in the Executive Management Unit, as provided for in the Executive Management Compensation Plan. The agreement allows Ms. Snideman to begin employment with banks of 80 hours of vacation leave and 40 hours of sick leave, and accrue vacation at 160 hours (four weeks) annually. Ms. Snideman will not receive a car allowance but will receive mileage reimbursement at the standard IRS rate.
The agreement is initially for one year, with the ability to extend for up to three years. The agreement calls for an initial evaluation within the first two months of employment and another evaluation prior to the end of the initial first year.
The resolution amends the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Salary Schedule to reflect the change to the base salary for the position of City Manager as stated above.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed City Manager annual salary and benefits will be approximately $6,500 more than the current budgeted amount for the City Manager position, this amount can be absorbed within the City Manager’s office’s budget for the remainder of the 2025-2026 fiscal year and a budget amendment is not necessary.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
A City Manager is essential to maintaining efficient and effective operations. The City Manager will provide continued oversight to staff and support to City Council for implementation of all strategic objectives.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute the employment agreement with Laura Snideman for service as the City Manager and amending the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Salary Schedule to reflect changes in the salary of the position of City Manager.