FPUD staff receives Bebee's performance bonus

Jack Bebee, general manager of Fallbrook Public Utility District, earned his performance bonus but will not receive that money.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote, Aug. 24, gave the $5,000 that Bebee would have received to the rest of FPUD’s staff. Each staff member will receive a $75 stipend.

“Instead of paying me a performance bonus this year, we divided the money that was set aside,” Bebee said. “My recommendation to the board was to do that. They’re incurring more challenges during this period that I am.”

When all staff positions are filled, FPUD has 67 employees including Bebee. Three positions are currently vacant, so 63 FPUD employees will receive a stipend.

The performance review for Bebee was conducted in closed session during FPUD’s April, May and June meetings.

“I met sort of the objectives that I was tasked with for last year,” Bebee said.

The board provided Bebee a new contract effective July 1. His annual base pay is $220,147. The new contract also increased the matching contribution for Bebee’s 401(a) retirement plan from 2.5% to 4.8% and increased his maximum vacation leave accrual from 248 hours to 270 hours.

Bebee was also awarded a $5,000 performance bonus, but he felt that rewarding FPUD employees with that amount was in the district’s best interests.

“It was a way for us to not allocate additional ratepayer funds,” he said.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].