Now, Arias and Councilmember Mike Karbassi want to add $62,000 to the deal<\/a>, bringing the total to $110,000 for \u201cadditional business outreach services.\u201d A vote is scheduled at the Fresno City Council meeting on Thursday.<\/p>\n Although details of the expanded agreement have not been publicly released, both Karbassi and Xiong tell Politics 101 it involves additional negotiation work on behalf of the city. Specifically, Xiong would represent city council interests in the future of the city-owned Riverside Golf Course in Karbassi\u2019s district.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to expand programming,\u201d Karbassi said. The city is also looking to negotiate a deal extension with the course operator, Course Co.<\/p>\n Karbassi said the city council wants to hire someone to negotiate the best possible deal on its behalf. Success, he said, could lead to increased revenue for the city.<\/p>\n Xiong also has a background in agriculture, having worked for the Biden administration in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven his history with the city and his standing within Southeast Asian communities, particularly the Hmong community, that\u2019s something we can\u2019t replicate,\u201d Karbassi said.<\/p>\n Xiong said he will also work with the Hmong community on the Southeast Development Area (SEDA) project.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s certain expertise that I have that city staff and other consultants don\u2019t have,\u201d Xiong said when asked why city employees could not handle such negotiations.<\/p>\n Original Contract Signed Last Year<\/p>\n The original agreement between Arias and Xiong\u2019s BX Consulting, LLC did not go before the full city council for approval. Because the amended contract exceeds $100,000, it must now be approved in public.<\/p>\n Last week, GV Wire columnist Bill McEwen criticized similar consulting contracts<\/a>, calling them a \u201ccon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t agree with the entirety of the column, but I understand his concerns, and I think he should be happy because this contract is being voted on in the open at a council meeting,\u201d Karbassi said.<\/p>\n Karbassi recently announced he is running for Fresno County supervisor District 1, being vacated by current supervisor Brian Pacheco. Coincidentally, Xiong has also expressed interest in the same position, though he said he has not made a decision.<\/p>\n Janz Wants More Staff Raises<\/p>\n Executive assistants for Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz could soon be earning more than $100,000 annually.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s inappropriate for legal secretaries to make more than executive assistants, since you can\u2019t become an executive assistant without first being a legal secretary. When union employees get raises, adjustments for Unit 2 employees need to be made,\u201d Janz told Politics 101.<\/p>\n Several executive assistants already earn $92,076, according to contracts posted on the city website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Janz is asking the city council on Thursday to increase the salary range, with a new maximum of $100,080.<\/p>\n Asked how his department could afford the increases, Janz said, \u201cWe have healthy salary savings and revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n Politics 101 polled several private attorneys in Fresno. They said executive assistants in the private legal sector generally do not earn between $90,000 and $100,000.<\/p>\n Last November, Janz approved raises and promotions for several staff attorneys<\/a> ranging from 4% and 29%.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Politics-101-logo-150x150.jpg\"){kind=logo}
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