By Robert Haugh
Last week, the story broke that former Santa Clara City Manager Rajeev Batra was coming back to replace fired City Manager Deanna Santana.
Today, the City Council has a special closed session to discuss the topic.
According to a retired city employee, the process to bring back Batra is complicated.
Batra served as Acting City Manager from April, 2016 to September, 2017.Then, Batra retired from the city. And he sued Santa Clara to try to spike his pension.
Because Batra is considered a “retired annuitant,” he is limited to working 960 hours in a fiscal year according to our source.
It’s also spelled out clearly in the guide the retired city employee said is sent to all retirees and easily available online.
Here’s what it says on page 9 about the hour limit:
960-Hour Limit The hours you work cannot exceed 960 hours in a fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) for employment with all CalPERS employers combined. There are no exceptions to this limit. Your employer must enroll and report your hours to CalPERS, per Government Code section 21220. Your employer reported retired annuitant hours can be viewed in your myCalPERS account. You are able to view your total employer-reported hours from all employers for the current fiscal year.
Batra is also limited in how long he can serve in the role. Here’s what the guide says on page 10:
Active Recruitment Before you are hired, the employer must have in place an active recruitment for a permanent replacement for the vacant position.
Limited-Duration Work You can be hired only as an interim or acting appointment during the period of recruitment; you cannot work in a permanent capacity or for an indefinite period of time.
So the 49er Five are likely to bring a former City Manager who got poor grades when he was in the role.
And he can only work limited hours. And he can only work for a short period of time. Wow.
Is it too early for an April Fool’s joke?
[…] Batra will be paid approximately $445,000 annually to work only 960 hours in a fiscal year. […]
[…] will be paid approximately $445,000 annually to work only 960 hours in a fiscal year as a “retired annuitant.” However, he cannot work more than 160 hours per month. Sources tell […]
Poor Mary is mired in the downtown she will probably never see. The downtown is pretty much in the “what if” stage. Mary is desperate and is trying to be a lobbyist for the reclaim group. The sad news is it probably won’t be started for another 20 years.
There is an old saying that one is promoted to their highest level of incompetence. In Batra’s case he had proven that wrong. He was in way over his head as public works director and then a total disaster as Interim City Manager.
One thing Santa Clara does not need at this critical time is some bubbling idiot that would only be allowed to work part time taking the reins of the City.
Remember he filed a frivolous law suit against the City once; don’t let him do it again.
It’s not an old saying – it’s a business management theory call the Peter Principal. Thank you for proving it correct.
Sure he scored badly, but compared with his predecessor, Julio Fuentes (F-) and successor, Deanna Santana (D+), he’s the most beloved city manger since Jennifer Sparacino. So #2 of all time!
Fake news as usual. Nothing changes with you. He got a very high grade by the Mayor and the Council.
Mary, perhaps you should read this, which is included in the article above:
https://santaclaranews.org/2017/09/19/the-rajeev-batra-report-card-opinion/
You certainly sound very tRumpian, Mary! Did someone promise you a DT and CH if you keep calling RH Fake News?
Mary and her fake news. You want Suds and coffee? He is the Charlie Brown character Pigpen with environmental dirty clouds around him.