Dan Newton, the city manager of Susanville, will take on a new role as public works director for Tehama County. His contract runs for four years, ending June 30, 2030, with a base salary of $232,601 annually.
Newton plans to leave Susanville, with his last day set for June 26. The city of Susanville hired Newton as the assistant city engineer in 2006. He moved up through the ranks becoming the city engineer in 2009, interim city administrator in 2017, public works director in 2018, city administrator in 2021 and city manager in 2024.
Tehama County faced challenges filling this position. The public works director role had been vacant for over a year. Efforts to recruit, including hiring a headhunter, did not find suitable candidates. The county also decided against splitting the job into two roles due to higher costs.
Officials praised Newton’s 20 years of experience in one jurisdiction. A supervisor called him “a fantastic find” after the extended search.
Some residents voiced concerns about Newton’s salary. One pointed out it is roughly $100,000 more than the previous director’s
pay. This raised questions about the financial impact on taxpayers.
The county noted a shortage of qualified engineers in the area. They also said Newton received a higher salary offer from the city of Chico.
Newton’s contract states he serves at the county’s will and can be terminated at any time. If fired without just cause, he will receive three months’ salary and benefits as a lump sum. No severance is paid if termination is for just cause or disability. He will be paid for unused personal time off but not management time off.
The contract includes extra pay. Newton will get $1,000 monthly for serving as road commissioner and $1,000 for holding a Professional Engineering License. If he earns a Professional Land Surveyor License within a year, he will receive a 5 percent salary increase. After holding that license for a year, he will get another 5 percent raise. If he does not get the surveyor license in the first year, he still receives a 5 percent raise for maintaining his engineering license.
The county may increase Newton’s salary at its discretion. He will receive a $60 monthly phone allowance and reimbursement for personal vehicle use.
Upon hire, Newton will receive 100 hours of personal time off and will accrue 240 hours annually, with a maximum cap of 500 hours. His benefits include five paid management leave days, paid holidays, health and life insurance, retirement benefits, and coverage for professional and official travel expenses.
Source: Lassen News
