The employment agreement sets Johnson’s annual base salary at $93,000 and he is guaranteed a minimum raise of $5,000 per year for the next three years as long as he receives a satisfactory performance review from the City Manager. The Chief position receives the same retirement plan and benefits package as other Ione Police Officers Association employees. The council will also be asked to approve payment to the Eureka Police Department to purchase Hawke, Johnson’s police service dog. 

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Ione City Council will hold a public hearing on the Ryland Homes Wildflower subdivision. Wildflower Subdivision is proposed on approximately sixty-three acres southeast of the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and SR 104 and is entirely within the City of Ione City staff and attorneys have been working with Ryland Homes over the past year to draft the development agreement for the Wildflower Development – the city staff report says that the agreement to be discussed Tuesday meets both the City’s and Ryland Homes’ requirements to move forward on the project. In the agreement, the City would grant development rights to Ryland Homes for 201 residential, single-family dwelling units. Plans also include approximately 5.1 acres of parkland and 13.4 acres of open space.

Ryland Homes has an approved planned development granted by the City Planning Commission for 276 homes – but the city’s available sewer capacity has reduced the number of homes to 201 in the proposed development agreement. The City Council will receive public comment Tuesday evening, and then decide whether to approve the development agreement or modify it. The City Council will also consider bond funding for Improvement Area 1, disposal of surplus fire equipment and other vehicles, adoption of new state building codes into the Ione Municipal code, and selection of the Mayor and Vice Mayor for 2008. The City Council meeting will begin at 6 pm Tuesday at Ione City Hall.