May 27--WATSONVILLE -- City officials have released the names and salaries of 27 employees who made more than $100,000 in 2008.

The release came late Friday, a day after the Sentinel published the names of police and firefighters who earned more than $100,000 in 2008, a story that sparked controversy in City Hall corridors and in the community.

On April 27, the Sentinel made a public records request for the 2008 pay records for all city workers as part of a countywide project to create public employee compensation databases. The city and county of Santa Cruz databases are available on the Sentinel's Web site, www.santacruzsentinel.com.

But unlike the other jurisdictions, which provided all records at one time, Watsonville officials are releasing the information as it becomes available, focusing on the highest paid employees first.

City officials said staff are stretched trying to prepare next year's budget and conducting union negotiations and have been unable to comply with the entire request.

"We are trying to give (the Sentinel) as much information as we could as fast as we could," said City Clerk Beatriz Flores.

In the latest release, salary, health and retirement benefits are lumped together and other compensation, such as a car allowance, bilingual stipend or tuition reimbursement, may be included as well. The records include those filling jobs in top and mid-management, none of whom are eligible to earn overtime pay.

City

Manager Carlos Palacios was the top grosser, earning $200,712.

Marc Pimentel, administrative services director, said Watsonville uses software first created in 1978 and last updated in 1996, which makes compiling the requested reports more labor intensive than it would be with more up-to-date programs.

Pimentel said the report detailing the pay of the highest paid police officers and firefighters was initially prepared for the City Council as background for budget decisions and union negotiations and therefore was available in advance of other information.

But because some thought police and firefighters were being targeted, officials rushed to release information regarding other employees making more than $100,000.

The Sentinel's readers have been mixed in their opinions, some expressing appreciation, others criticizing the newspaper.

Though Flores' said the city eventually intends to provide all requested records to the Sentinel, City Attorney Alan Smith said it is only legally bound to release records for employees earning $100,000 or more.

Smith bases his reasoning on a 2007 California Supreme Court decision in favor of Contra Costa Newspapers Inc.