Presiding City Magistrate Employment Agreement

City of Chandler — Regular Meeting (2023-06-29)

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CHANDLER PRESIDING CITY MAGISTRATE 
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT 
 
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered by and between the CITY OF CHANDLER (the “City”), 
an Arizona municipal corporation, by its Mayor, and ALICIA MORRISON SKUPIN (the 
“Employee"), (the City and the Employee may individually be referred to as the “Party” and 
collectively referred to as the “Parties”) on this _____ day of______________________, 20 _____ 
(Effective Date). 
 
WITNESSETH: 
WHEREAS, the City desires to employ the services of the Employee as Presiding City 
Magistrate of the City of Chandler, Arizona; and 
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City Council to provide certain benefits, establish certain 
conditions of employment, and to set working conditions of the Employee; and 
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City Council to (1) secure and retain the services of the 
Employee and to provide inducement for the Employee to remain in such employment, (2) 
to make possible full work productivity by assuring the Employee's morale and peace of mind 
with respect to future security, (3) to act as deterrent against malfeasance or dishonesty for 
personal gain on the part of the Employee, and (4) to provide a just means for terminating 
the Employee's services at such time as the Employee may be unable fully to discharge the 
Employee's duties or when the City may desire to otherwise terminate the Employee's 
employ; and 
WHEREAS, the Employee desires to accept employment as the Presiding City Magistrate of 
the City; 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties 
agree as follows: 
AGREEMENT 
Section 1. 
Duties 
The City agrees to engage the Employee as the Presiding City Magistrate of the City to 
perform the functions and duties specified in the City Charter and City Code and to perform 
such other legally permissible and proper duties and functions as the City Council shall from 
time to time assign. 
Section 2. 
Term 
A. 
The term of this Agreement shall be from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025.

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B. 
Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent, limit, or otherwise interfere with the right of 
the City Council to terminate the services of the Employee as provided by State law, 
subject only to the provisions set forth in Section 4 of the Agreement. 
 
C. 
Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent, limit, or otherwise interfere with the right of 
the Employee to resign at any time from employment with the City, subject only to 
the provision set forth in Section 3 of the Agreement. 
 
D. 
The Employee agrees to remain in the exclusive employ of the City and neither to 
accept, nor to become employed by any other employer. This provision does not 
prohibit the Employee from occasionally teaching on the Employee's time off with the 
advance approval of the Mayor. 
Section 3. 
Resignation, Termination & Severance 
A. 
In the event the Employee voluntarily resigns from employment with the City before 
the expiration of the Term of the Agreement set forth under Section 2, then Employee 
shall give the City a minimum of two months advance notice before the Employee's 
final date of employment, or such advance notice as may be otherwise mutually 
agreed upon. 
 
B. 
If the Agreement is allowed to expire without a follow-on Agreement while Employee 
is still willing and able to perform the duties required under this Agreement, the City 
agrees to provide one of the following severance packages, which must be elected by 
Employee no later than five business days after Employee’s receipt of the notice of 
termination or decision not to renew the Agreement, or Employee’s involuntary 
resignation. Once selected, Employee’s severance package may not be changed. 
Option 1:  
• 
A single lump sum severance payment in an amount equivalent to four 
months’ aggregate salary at the then-current rate of pay, deferred 
compensation thereon, and the value of 100% of Employee’s accrued vacation 
leave and 50% of accrued sick leave. 
 
• 
The City’s share of life insurance coverage and City-paid medical, dental, and 
vision COBRA continuation coverage for four months. 
Option 2:   
• 
Continuing pay and benefits for up to six months or until Employee 
commences retirement or obtains other full-time employment and benefits 
coverage through a group health insurance plan from Employee’s new 
employer, whichever occurs sooner, as follows:

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- 
Pay and deposits of deferred compensation based on Employee’s then-
current salary paid every two weeks concurrently with the regular City 
payroll. 
- 
The continuation of City benefits based on Employee’s elections at the time 
of termination.  
 
• 
A lump sum payment of the value of 100% of Employee’s accrued vacation 
leave and 50% of accrued sick leave to be made at the time of Employee’s final 
check. 
Section 4. 
Disciplinary Action 
The Employee shall be held to high standards of conduct that would be expected of a 
Chandler Presiding City Magistrate and member of the Arizona judiciary. The Employee may 
be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal for cause. Cause for 
disciplinary action includes violations of City rules, policies, and regulations that would result 
in disciplinary action if committed by other City employees; violations of the Chandler City 
Charter or City Code; violations of State or Federal law; and conduct that is inconsistent with 
the Code of Judicial Conduct, Administrative Order No. 2005-32 of the Supreme Court of 
Arizona, and any other Rule or law governing the conduct of judges in Arizona. The Employee 
shall be given notice and an opportunity to be heard in any disciplinary action. 
 
Section 5. 
Salary 
A. 
The City agrees to pay the Employee for the services rendered pursuant to this 
Agreement an annual salary payable in installments at the same time regular 
employees of the City are paid as follows: 
 
 
Time Period  
 
 
 
 
Annual Salary 
 
 
July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024  
 
$ 226,077 
 
July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025  
 
$ 237,381 
 
 
B. 
Ongoing 
salary 
adjustments 
and 
merit 
increases 
approved 
for 
regular, 
unrepresented employees during the term of the Agreement shall not apply to the 
Employee. 
 
C. 
If during the term of the Agreement the City agrees to provide any payment to all 
regular, unrepresented employees that is not added to base salaries, and is not 
equivalent to a longevity payment to employees with a merit-eligible performance 
rating who are at the top of their pay range, City shall pay the Employee the same 
amount or percentage approved for such employees.

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Section 6. 
Hours of Work 
A. 
The Employee shall work a full-time schedule of no fewer than 40 hours per week 
except when a City holiday occurs or when a leave is approved by the Mayor or a sick 
leave is taken as provided under the City Personnel Rules. 
 
B. 
In the event the Employee is required to work more than 40 hours in a week, the 
Employee shall not be compensated for the additional time. 
Section 7.  
Dues and Subscriptions 
The City agrees to budget and pay the professional dues and subscriptions of the Employee 
necessary for continuation and full participation in national, regional, state, and local 
associations and organizations necessary and desirable for continued professional 
participation, growth, and advancement, and for the good of the City subject to the City's 
determination as to what is necessary.  
Section 8. 
Professional Development 
The City hereby agrees to budget and pay for the travel and subsistence expenses of the 
Employee for professional and official travel, meetings, and occasions adequate to continue 
the professional development of the Employee and to adequately pursue necessary official 
and other national, regional, state, and local governmental groups, and committees thereof 
on which Employee serves as a member, subject to the City's determination as to what is 
necessary.  
Section 9. 
Other Terms and Conditions of Employment 
A. 
The City Council shall fix any such other terms and conditions of employment, as it 
may determine from time to time, relating to the performance of the Employee, 
provided such terms and conditions do not interfere with the judicial integrity and 
independence of the Employee and are not inconsistent with or in conflict with the 
provisions of this Agreement, the City Charter and Code, or any other law.  
 
B. 
All provisions of the City Charter and Code, and the Personnel Rules, Policies, and 
Administrative Regulations of the City relating to vacation and sick leave, retirement 
and pension system contributions, holidays, and other fringe benefits and working 
conditions as they now exist or hereafter may be amended, also shall apply to the 
Employee as they would to other employees of City, in addition to said benefits 
enumerated specifically for the benefit of the Employee. The Employee shall pay the 
same amount of employee and dependent premiums for the City health and dental 
plans as paid by other employees of the City. 
 
C. 
The Employee shall accrue vacation and sick leave benefits as follows:

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1. Vacation: The Employee shall accrue vacation hours as set forth under 
Personnel Rule 15, Section 4(C). Personnel Rule 15, Section 5 shall apply to the 
Employee’s accrual of vacation credits in excess of 240 hours. Excess vacation 
hours may be contributed to the Retirement Health Savings Plan as provided 
in CC-Reg. CM-57.  
2. Sick Leave:  The Employee shall accrue and use sick leave, including Statutory 
Sick Leave, as set forth in Personnel Rule 15 and may convert sick leave to 
vacation credits as provided under Rule 15 and the Sick Leave Conversion 
Program, CC-Reg. CM-71.  
D. 
Payment of sick leave upon leaving City service or death: 
 
1. Upon leaving City service, the Employee shall be entitled to compensation for 
accumulated sick leave under the provisions of the Personnel Rules governing 
payment of sick leave for regular employees upon retirement. 
 
2. If the Employee dies prior to leaving City service, the Employee’s beneficiaries 
shall be entitled to compensation pursuant to the Personnel Rules. 
 
E. 
The Employee shall be covered by the City's insurance for malpractice and errors and 
omissions. 
 
F. 
The Employee shall be entitled to annual deferred compensation in an amount equal 
to seven percent (7%) of the Employee's base salary. This amount shall be paid in 
equal bi-weekly amounts and deposited into the City’s deferred compensation plan 
on a bi-weekly basis. The Employee may contribute additional amounts up to the 
maximum allowed by law.  
 
G. 
The City shall provide term life insurance in an amount equal to 1.5 times the 
Employee's annual salary payable to the Employee’s designated beneficiaries.  
 
H. 
The City shall provide a $40 per month allowance for the use of the Employee’s own 
personal cell phone for City business. This allowance will be paid on a bi-weekly basis. 
Section 10. 
Residency Requirement 
Because of the extraordinary conditions affecting the local housing market, the Employee 
shall have up to 12 months from the commencement of the Agreement to become a resident 
of the city.  
Section 11. 
General Provisions 
A. 
The text herein shall constitute the entire agreement between parties.