Manfredi sought to consult

The Madera City Council Wednesday evening will vote on whether to hire Ronald J. Manfredi of Madera as a consultant to look at the city’s water rate structure and to serve as a consultant in the hiring of a permanent city administrator.

Manfredi, 70, is a former assistant city administrator of Madera, a job at which he spent 14 years, and is the former city manager of Kerman. He also is a longtime trustee of the State Center Community College District.

He would report to interim City Administrator Steve Frazier, who was appointed by the City Council to replace former City Administrator David Tooley, who retired in December.

Frazier is former Madera police chief.

Manfredi would be paid $21,000 to provide the city with advice on three items, according to information provided by Frazier for the council to vote upon.

Manfredi would provide written and verbal feedback and recommendations to the City Council during a workshop to be held during open session with a compensation consultant hired through the city’s Request for Proposal process to evaluate and determine comparable agencies and define total compensation.

He would review a draft study of compensation to be prepared by the compensation consultant, and provide recommendations.

Manfredi also would review the city’s water utility rates, which citizens have criticized as being too high after they were adjusted after a 2014 study.

If the council votes to accept Frazier’s recommendations, Manfredi will go to work immediately.