Vancouver city manager Holmes gets 10% salary increase

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

Holmes has been on the job since being promoted from assistant city manager in October 2010. According to council documents, the city began its annual review of Holmes’ performance in July and wrapped up earlier this month, giving him an “excellent” rating.

Despite the clear support from the council, there was no discussion of the review or pay increase during Monday’s meeting.

In the 11 years Holmes has spent as city manager, he has received annual raises ranging from 1.5 percent (in 2013) to 17 percent (in 2014). His starting salary in 2010 was $161,500.

In 2019, the Portland Business Journal listed Holmes among the 50 highest-paid city employees across Portland and Vancouver and the Oregon cities of Hillsboro, Beaverton and Gresham. The 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 managers of comparable cities.

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

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