Logo courtesy of the City of Yuba City

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) – Yuba City will establish a new director-level position paying up to $139,800 annually to manage public information and community outreach, including communications during emergencies.

The Yuba City Council approved the Communication and Public Affairs Director position Oct. 6 on the consent calendar without separate discussion, along with several personnel and salary changes.

The position carries an annual salary ranging from $115,020 to $139,800, with an estimated cost of $98,900 for the remainder of the 2026-27 fiscal year, officials said.

Currently, no single city employee is responsible for overseeing public information, media relations, community engagement and social media communications across municipal departments.

The Police and Fire departments maintain their own social media accounts, but those responsibilities fall to employees who also perform other full-time duties. City officials said the lack of a designated public information officer creates challenges when emergencies require coordinated communication with residents, businesses and the news media.

The new director will serve as a central contact for public information, particularly during emergencies when residents need accurate and timely updates, officials said.

Responsibilities will also include outreach to local businesses, public education about municipal services, gathering community input on city priorities and informing residents about progress on those initiatives.

City officials identified the need to address misinformation and improve public understanding of municipal operations as additional reasons for creating the position.

Human Resources Director Gina Rowland's department conducted a salary comparison with surrounding jurisdictions before establishing the pay range. The proposed compensation was set approximately 10% below the market average, consistent with the city's approach to other recently established positions.

The City Manager's Office expects to cover much of the $98,900 expense through savings from an existing professional services contract for community engagement, officials said.

The department will review its budget at midyear to determine whether additional funding is necessary. If expenses exceed available allocations, City Manager Robert Bendorf would return to the council for a budget adjustment.

The council's action also included changes to several employee classifications and adjustments required by California's increasing minimum wage.

Hourly pay for certain part-time recreation employees and reserve police officers will increase from $16.90 to $17.40 beginning Dec. 26, the first day of the pay period that includes Jan. 1, 2027.

Officials said the additional wage expenses will be absorbed within existing departmental budgets.