Presiding City Magistrate Employment Agreement

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 , 2025
(Effective Date).

RECITALS

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 to fully 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.

Section2. Term

A. The term of this Agreement shall be from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027.

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.

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.

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.

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:

e 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.

e The City’s share of life insurance coverage and City-paid medical, dental, and
vision COBRA continuation coverage for four months.

Option 2:

e 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:

- 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.

e 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.

iC. The Employee shall be ineligible for the severance options set forth under 3.B. if
Employee's services are terminated for cause as provided in Section 4 during the term
of the Agreement. Termination for cause includes the Employee's resignation in lieu
of termination.

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 termination 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, 2025, through June 30, 2026 $270,899.20
July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027 $294,382.40

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, the City shall pay the Employee the same
amount or percentage approved for such employees.

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 of absence 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 shall budget for 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 of necessity.

Section 8. Professional Development

The City shall budget for and pay the travel and subsistence expenses of the Employee for
professional and official travel, meetings, and events that support the Employee's continued
professional development and participation in necessary national, regional, state, and local
governmental groups, and committees thereof, in which Employee serves as a member,
subject to the City's determination of necessity.

Section9. 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:

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 320 hours. Excess vacation
hours may be contributed to the Post Employment Health Plan (PEHP) as
provided in CC-Reg. CM-57.

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.

Dz. 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.

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.

General Provisions

A. The text herein shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties.

B. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs at law and
executors of the Employee.

C. If any provisions or any portion thereof, contained in this Agreement are held to be
unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement, or
portion thereof, shall be deemed severable, shall not be affected, and shall remain in
full force and effect.

Section 12. Reappointment

Nothing in this Agreement shall give the Employee an employment right beyond the terms
set forth herein. Pursuant to Chandler Charter Section 2.09(c) reappointment of the
Employee shall be at the pleasure of the City Council.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement.

FOR THE CITY FOR THE EMPLOYEE
MAYOR ALICIA MORRISON SKUPIN

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

By:

City Attorney het.

ATTEST:

By:

City Clerk