Imperial Beach council unanimously approves city manager pay raise

The Imperial Beach City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a series of salary increases for City Manager Tyler Foltz, whose current compensation sits well below the county median for the position.

The resolution amends Foltz’s employment agreement to raise his base salary from $229,500 in three increments: a 9% increase to $250,155 effective Feb. 20, a 5% increase to $262,663 in July and a 6% increase to $278,423 in January 2027.

The total fiscal impact over the next two fiscal years is approximately $59,000, which city staff said is covered in the adopted budget.

According to the staff report, Foltz’s current salary is 37.77% below the San Diego County median of $316,180 and $45,500 less than any other permanent city manager in the county, despite his 20 years of service with the city. Even after the proposed increases, his salary will remain in the bottom third countywide.

Staff described the raise as part of a broader strategy to move all city employees closer to market-rate median salaries, noting that the city manager’s salary sets a compensation ceiling for other city positions.

All five council members expressed strong support. Mayor Pro Tem Jack Fisher noted the raise’s broader implications, saying it “changes the makeup of the city and the opportunity for other staff members to grow.”

Foltz, originally from Chula Vista, started at the city as an assistant planner in 2006. He’s served as city manager since Febru...