VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach's city council deferred the vote to either raise or stay annual salaries for “City Council appointees” including City Manager Dave Hansen, who currently makes $263,611.40 per year, according to the city’s website.
By a vote of 8 to 3, City Council deferred the vote until Sept. 3.
'3 percent raise'
Councilman John Moss was the first on the council to publicly address his constituents about what he said was a 3 percent raise via social media, saying “the calls from residents for Mr. Hansen’s removal are growing every day across our great community.”
“The President makes $400,000, the Secretary of Defense makes $210,700, the Governor of Virginia makes $175,000, Four Star Flag Officer $189,700,” he said. “Now do any of you believe Mr. Hansen’s job is more difficult than the President, Secretary of Defense, the Governor or the Chief of Naval Operations? Of course not.”
“It is time to put public service payback into public service at the top at City Hall,” he said.
Moss made clear how he’s voting on Tuesday: “I have not voted for past pay raises for the City Manager, and I will not for the raise being proposed for a vote.”
In a previous post, Moss said when the time comes “I will not vote to renew the City Manager’s contract.”
Hansen said he’s aware of the councilman’s statement but intends to “continue to serve all 11 members of the City Council and carry out the will and intent of the majority.”
Councilwoman Jessica Abbott also shared her position, maintaining the sitting city manager should be replaced. She created a social media poll asking her followers what they think about raising Hansen’s pay.
“Please vote in this poll — I can share the results with my colleagues,” she said.
In recent weeks, Hansen has been at the center of a campaign in which residents have been calling for his firing, with the most recent coming from the Virginia Beach Interdenominational Ministers Conference in a public letter to Mayor Bobby Dyer.
In 2018, City Council voted against raising Hansen’s pay for the 2018-2019 budget year.
