The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has concluded Inglewood did not break the law by paying the mayor’s former assistant and ex-girlfriend more than $400,000 annually in salary and benefits, according to a newly released closing memorandum.
Deputy District Attorney Michele Gilmer found the city increased Melanie McDade-Dickens’ salary through simultaneous “acting” and “assignment” pay that violated the city’s contract with the Inglewood Executive Organization. But because City Manager Artie Fields later retroactively corrected the designations, Gilmer determined there was “no evidence to suggest anyone intended or was criminally negligent in failing to know he/she was without authority of law” to authorize the payments.
“Although the complainant feels that Dickens’ compensation is disproportionate to those in similar positions, the District Attorney’s office does not have jurisdiction to determine the salary of Inglewood city employees,” Gilmer wrote in the closing memorandum. “Aside from speculation, there is insufficient evidence to prove Dickens’ compensation was for ‘private purposes at the behest of Mayor James Butts.’ Accordingly, this case is closed.”
The blog 2UrbanGirls first reported the district attorney’s decision. The Southern California News Group independently verified the investigation and obtained a copy of the closing memorandum from the District Attorney’s Office.
Decision called ‘flawed’
In an email to several reporters, Marvin McCoy, the resident who filed the complaint, called the decision “flawed” because he felt it did not address whether McDade-Dickens’ employment was a direct result of her “sexual/romantic relationship” with the mayor. McCoy wrote he intends to push for the newly elected district attorney, George Gascón, to revisit the D.A.’s past investigations into Inglewood.
McDade-Dickens’ attorney, Carl Douglas, did not respond to a request to comment. He previously stated that McDade-Dickens earned her extra pay and assignments through merit.
Extra pay was for extra duties
In an email, Fields said he gave McDade-Dickens additional duties when there were vacancies at the department head level. Though her title remained “executive assistant,” McDade-Dickens served as the head of the parking, emergency management and city security division, as well as the housing department, according to Fields. She also filled in as an acting assistant city manager “as needed,” officials said previously.
In 2018, Fields requested that McDade-Dickens receive “acting” and “assignment” designations simultaneously, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Inglewood’s memorandum of understanding with the executive organization does not allow employees to receive “acting” appointments alongside special assignment pay. “Acting” pay requires an employee to fulfill the full duties of a position, while assignment pay is when an employee takes on extra work while continuing their normal job.
Fields said his request was an error that did not result in an overpayment. The “acting” pay was retroactively reclassified to additional “assignment” pay and did not require any reimbursement to the city. McDade-Dickens received about $24,291 for the reclassified work, according to Fields.
“There was no overlap as it was an administrative pay classification error, as opposed to a compensation error,” Fields wrote in an email. “Again, the acting pay was reclassified to assignment pay when the error was discovered.”
$403,308 in compensation
McDade-Dickens’ total compensation, including benefits, jumped from $135,069 in 2013 to $403,308 in 2019 largely because of the additional responsibilities and bonuses given to her over the years. The city paid her more than $100,000 extra in both 2018 and 2019, according to Transparent California.
None of those duties was reflected in the job description for the “executive assistant” position when the Southern California News Group investigated McDade-Dickens’ high pay in 2018. At the time, the description listed qualifications and experience for a secretarial position — five years of experience supporting elected officials, a proficiency with Microsoft Office and a valid driver’s license. The duties included managing calendars, screening communications and greeting visitors.
A new job description — uploaded to the city’s website hours after city officials were contacted by a reporter — contained new duties, such as overseeing the parking program.
Romance ended
McDade-Dickens and Butts began dating in 2010 while she worked on Butts’ mayoral campaign, according to McDade-Dickens. He hired her as his assistant after taking office. Bankruptcy documents in 2012 showed she made $17,430 in 2010 before Inglewood hired her.
Rumors circulated for years about the relationship between the mayor and McDade-Dickens. It was only confirmed by McDade-Dickens and the city after her firing in late 2019.
Inglewood terminated McDade-Dickens for allegedly falsifying a bonus check to make herself appear more financially stable for a home loan and for enlisting city employees to help with personal matters. McDade-Dickens denies the allegations and sued the city for wrongful termination. She alleges she ended her eight-year relationship with the mayor in 2018 and that he had her fired in retaliation. Her lawsuit alleges the mayor removed her extra assignments, stalked and harassed her following the break-up.
City officials say the additional responsibilities were only temporary and were removed once other employees were hired to fill the roles.