Proposed contract for new Fresno city attorney revealed. Andrew Janz could see $100K bump

If approved by the Fresno City Council, Andrew Janz is likely to make $240,000 working as Fresno’s next city attorney.

That’s about a $100,000 increase from what he’s making now as a prosecutor at the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. It’s also just below the median salary for the current range for the city attorney position.

The figure was revealed Wednesday when the Dec. 1 Fresno City Council meeting agenda was made public. It’s the first public glimpse of Janz’s proposed contract.

Janz has declined media interviews until the contract is approved.

The proposed salary is slightly higher than ex-City Attorney Doug Sloan’s pay, but the proposed contract includes fewer stipends and allowances than Sloan’s, which padded his total compensation package. Janz also will receive a $500 monthly vehicle allowance, if the contract is passed.

The proposed salary is about the same as Fresno County Counsel Daniel Cederborg’s, but it’s more than Janz’s current boss, Fresno District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp.

The city attorney is an at-will employee, meaning the city council can fire them at any time. The city attorney is one of only two directors hired by the city council. The other is the city clerk. All other department directors are hired and fired by the city manager.

The Fresno City Council on Nov. 16 announced their decision to appoint Janz as the next city attorney. Janz works as a prosecutor for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office and previously ran for congress as a Democrat against former Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare. He also ran for Fresno mayor.

The Fresno City Attorney manages an office of more than 150 employees, including over two dozen attorneys, two dozen or so legal aids and about 100 code enforcement employees.

Interim City Attorney Rina Gonzales has led the city attorney’s office since June when ex-city attorney Doug Sloan resigned and took another job.