Pomona will pay its former city manager more than $600,000 in severance after his abrupt departure from City Hall.
In a joint statement in early December, James Makshanoff and the city announced a “mutual employment separation” agreement a week after officials confirmed Makshanoff had taken a personal leave of absence.
In a letter signed Nov. 6, 2023 — a full month before the city announced Makshanoff’s leave — Pomona agreed to pay the city manager $604,975 in severance over several installments.
According to the letter, obtained by this news organization through a public records request, the first severance installment of $155,000 was to be paid on or before Dec. 31, 2023. The second payment in the amount of $310,000 is due to be paid on or before Feb.1, 2024.
Additionally, the city agreed to pay $89,975 of accrued sick leave on or before Dec. 31, 2023. A final $50,000 payment is set to be deposited into Makshanoff’s retirement plan on or before Feb. 1, 2024, according to the city’s letter.
The payouts equal about twice Makshanoff’s annual salary in 2022.
That year, the city paid Makshanoff $283,364, according to Transparent California. When the City Council hired Makshanoff in late 2019, it agreed to increase his pay to $275,000 from $250,000.
That’s less than he was earning with his previous employer. According to Transparent California, Makshanoff made $388,660 as San Clemente city manager before leaving the city in 2019. At the time, Makshanoff was the highest-paid city manager in Orange County.
In Pomona, it’s unclear why Makshanoff and the city agreed to part ways. Multiple attempts to reach Makshanoff for comment have not been successful. The joint statement released by Makshanoff and the city in December listed his achievements, such as producing balanced budgets four years in a row and increasing budget reserves.
At the time the city announced Makshanoff’s leave of absence, the council appointed Anita D. Gutierrez, the assistant city manager, to serve in the top executive role. After Makshanoff’s official separation from the city, the council announced that Gutierrez would continue to serve as acting city manager until further notice.
The city manager role was listed on the agenda for the council’s meeting tonight, Jan. 8.
