Major Pay Increase For West Hartford's Town Manager

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Calling it a matter of being competitive with other towns and recognizing good work, town officials have approved a major pay increase for West Hartford's town manager.

With a unanimous 9-0 vote at its last meeting on June 24, the West Hartford Town Council granted West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith a three-pronged pay hike that takes his salary to $191,353 starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The vote to adjust Ledwith's pay also included two retroactive components.

One increased his pay from $176,826 to $182,131 retroactive to July 1, 2024. The other retroactively increased his pay from $182,131 to $186,685 retroactive to Jan. 1.

From the initial $176,826 salary to the one approved for Jan. 1, 2026, Ledwith's pay is increasing by more than 8 percent and more than $14,500 a year.

Hired in June 2022, Ledwith replaced former West Hartford Town Manager Matthew Hart, who is now the head of the Capital Region Council of Governments as its executive director.

In approving the pay increase for Ledwith, council members — both Democrats and Republicans — praised the work he has done for the town.

West Hartford Deputy Mayor Ben Wenograd, a Democrat who chairs the town council's finance and administration committee, said Ledwith's pay was "a bargain" for the town.

"There's certainly merit-based in this," Wenograd said. "But this is also based on the market."

He said many towns of similar size pay "as much or more" than what Ledwith is now getting.

"In terms of the work you perform, I'd hate to even try and calculate this on an hourly basis," Wenograd said, alluding to the number of hours Ledwith works for the town.

"Your performance has been exemplary," he said. "Certainly deserving of fair compensation or more. I wish we could go higher."

Republican Councilwoman Mary Fay, the senior member of the GOP on the council, agreed.

"Mr. Wenograd and I did speak about this, and I do support it," she said. "It's a big job and we need somebody good at the helm."

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, a Democrat, said the council had mulled giving Ledwith a raise multiple times, but put it off, citing difficult financial conditions.

But, Cantor said, the situation became a matter of competing with other towns and keeping a town manager the council liked.

"We really have to keep up with paying the right salary for this position, but not only this position, we actually have the best town manager in the state," she said.

"We should be proud that we have such an elite and amazing town manager and a wonderful person who has led West Hartford to be a top community in the country."

For the minutes of the June 24 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

For the council resolution on the pay increases, click on this link.

From June 29, 2022: 'West Hartford Picks Ledwith As New Town Manager'