WORCESTER – The Worcester City Council announced a special meeting on Friday, December 20, at noon, to consider one item. City Manager Eric Batista’s next contract.
Batista’s contract expires on December 31.
The contract appeared on the council’s agenda on Tuesday, December 17, during a meeting dominated by the U.S. Department of Justice report on the investigation of the Worcester Police Department (WPD).
Councilor Thu Nguyen held the item related to Batista’s contract. Any city councilor can hold any item the first time it appears on the council agenda.
City Council changed the contract during its meeting on December 10. Changes from the previous contract proposal include a salary of $295,966 starting on December 31, with a three percent increase, “or such lesser percentage reflective of the highest percentage increase awarded to any city bargaining unit.” He will also receive $3,750 annually towards the cost of disability insurance, and the same amount annually towards the cost of life insurance.
Batista will also receive $1,500 per month “for the cost of his personal automobile including costs of operation, maintenance, repair and insurance relating to said vehicle,” along with fuel from city-owned pumps.
Should the city council remove Batista from the position of city manager for any reason, he shall receive nine months of severance. The previous version of the proposed contract provided 12 months of severance.
See the full, new contract proposal.
