The Gainsville City Commission voted 6-1 on Thursday to move forward with an amendment on City Manager Cynthia Curry’s employment contract, resulting in a one-time $15,000 salary cut.  

Curry brought the amendment forward to the City Commission during the budget season, and while it was scheduled on the consent agenda, Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker asked to pull the item for discussion.  

Duncan-Walker, who was the lone dissent, clarified Curry’s salaries since joining the city in 2021. Curry responded that her salary as interim was in the $260,000 range before increasing once she became permanent manager to $299,000.  

With the cut, Curry will have a $284,050 salary.  

The city has cut millions from its budget in the past fiscal year, including 125 budgeted positions with half of them filled. Increases in the fire and police budget and a tax spike resulted in the general government budget for next year increasing by $1 million to $156 million in total.  

Curry explained that she voluntarily submitted the idea of a pay cut, noting that many employees had their positions eliminated. Of those, many filled other positions within the city, but some staff members left. 

“As the manager, I wanted to take the lead and show that I, too, would participate in that process, Curry said on Thursday.  

Duncan-Walker asked if Curry would agree to a higher salary cut. Curry said no.  

Other commissioners thanked Curry for the action.  

“As a commissioner, I want to thank you for doing that,” Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut said. “I think that it is not necessary. It is a service to the citizens, but it is also, in the long run, a disservice to you as you get ready to approach retirement.”    

Commissioner Ed Book said he thinks the executive leadership’s salaries are too high while first responder salaries are too low. He said the City Commission will likely continue to deal with the problem during his term. 

Curry read off a list of city manager salaries from across the state and said her salary at $284,050, or even before the cut, remained in the middle of the range. She also pointed out that the commissioners have the final say in salaries, not charter officers.  

Duncan-Walker said she thinks the commissioners have been deferential to the mayor’s negotiations with charter officers in the past—not raising concerns or questions. She said that may have to change moving forward.  

Mayor Harvey Ward said he hadn’t felt that way. He noted that the City Commission had discussed salaries more this year than ever before.  

In the spring, the commission voted to make four of its interim charter officers permanent, resulting in salary negotiations. The City Commission also asked the mayor to renegotiate the salary for the director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion.  

The City Commission also voted to stop a scheduled increase in their own salaries that was approved by the previous commission. The salaries would have increased by 91% if allowed to continue.