Cape council rates city manager ‘above average’
Ilczyszyn get positive review
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Cape Coral City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn received a 4.0 - above average - for his recent evaluation, and asked for the 7.25% increase to go towards benefits for his family instead of compensation.
"Thank you all for this past year's evaluation. I am going to start this year like I did last year. I don't do this job alone. It takes a shared understanding of where you want to go that comes from your residents and my entire team from executive leaders and staff," Ilczyszyn said. "I am humble to be in a position to absorb what you want to accomplish and move my staff in that direction. The evaluation I got is because of them. First and foremost, thank you to all of them. I approach this job every day - I wake up - I have a chance and a choice. Chance to make a difference and choice to choose whether or not to execute. I get up and understand it is an opportunity to make a difference in Cape Coral."
His score was an accumulation of 10 areas of performance. Those included an overall average of 4.2 for individual characteristics, 4.1 for professional skills and status, 3,9 for relations with elected members of the governing body, 4.1 for policy execution, 4.0 for reporting, 4.0 for citizen relations, 3.7 for staffing, 4.1 for supervision, 3.9 for fiscal management and 3.9 for community.
Mayor John Gunter explained the scale, which ranged from 1 being poor to 5 being excellent.
"His overall evaluation is 4.0, which would be an above average category," he said.
Council members' individual evaluations were not posted with the meeting agenda and were not produced by the city as of press deadline.
Ilczyszyn was hired on Sept. 20, 2023, and his current base salary is $314,204.
Gunter said as a contractual employee, his contract stipulates how the increase will work due to the "me, too" clause. He said the city manager is afforded the same opportunity that the non-bargaining and general bargaining employees receive, which is a 7.25% increase.
That increase would be $22,779.79.
Ilczyszyn said he would like to make an amendment to his contract - not taking the increase as a salary increase. He said he would like to amend his contract and have the city pay for his family's benefits - medical, vision, dental and identity shield with the balance of that paid out as a one-time lump sum.
The city pays for Ilczyszyn's benefits.
"The benefit saves the city on taxes and any other multipliers that get done for salary," Ilczyszyn said.
Gunter was designated as the person to work with Ilczyszyn and the city attorney on the amended language for benefits, which will be brought back to the council for a vote.
Council members gave Ilczyszyn great reviews during Wednesday's special meeting.
"The organization takes the personality of the leader. I appreciate the tone. I am in full support. Continue doing what you are doing," Councilmember Dr. Derrick Donnell said.
Councilmember Jennifer Nelson-Lastra echoed the same remarks, as she too has worked with a few city managers as a council member. She said what she appreciates the most about Ilczyszyn is his proactive approach.
"We had an honest conversation on Saturday. You let me be real and honest and I let you be real and honest. You are the only city manager I can have real conversations with and you don't get defensive," Nelson-Lastra said.