City employees who helped negotiate and draft the contract for the Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium and remodeling raked in big checks this week.

Payroll records obtained by the Tampa Bay Times on Friday through a public records request show that 17 senior employees received bonus checks totaling $250,000 on Thursday.

Mayor Ken Welch confirmed that payments were made for employees’ work on the Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment project.

“The time and effort required from key personnel to complete the Historic Gas Plant District’s successful construction contract process was extraordinary,” Welch said in a statement. “For over a year, our team members worked long hours, including nights, weekends and holidays, adjusted their personal schedules and put family obligations aside.

“This work was in addition to their other job responsibilities. To recognize and reward this extraordinary level of commitment, I have provided appropriate bonuses to key employees whose efforts went beyond their daily duties. This is within the scope of the budget and my administrative authority.”

In a July 25 email announcing the bonuses, city human resources director Christopher Guella said the lump sum payments were for employees’ “extraordinary work” on the gas plant project. That was five days before Pinellas County commissioners approved their share of the stadium construction funding by a 5-2 vote.

City spokeswoman Alizza Punzalan-Randle did not respond to emailed questions Friday about how employees were selected, bonuses were set or payouts were funded.

The largest payouts, totaling $25,000, went to the deal’s chief negotiator, City Manager Rob Gerdes, and City Attorney Jackie Kovilaritch.

Four staff members received $20,000: City Development Administrator James Corbett, Assistant City Attorney Macall Dyer, Chief of Staff Doyle Walsh and Assistant City Administrator Tom Greene.

Two employees received $15,000 each: Brian Caper, director of economic and workforce development, and Michael Dema, deputy city attorney.

Nine employees were paid $10,000: Punzalan-Randle, engineering director Brejesh Prayman, city architect Raul Quintana, marketing director Logan Smith, housing and neighborhood services director Amy Foster and executive finance director Beth Herendeen.

Debt Finance Director Anne Fritz also received $10,000. Fritz was CFO until last November and was then promoted to that position.

The administrative assistants for these officials were also paid. The mayor’s assistant, Rita Wesley, and the assistant to Chief of Staff Walsh, Kali Dambeck, each received $10,000.

In Welch’s statement in response to the Times’ questions, Punzalan-Randle did not disclose the base salaries of employees receiving bonuses, as requested. She said the mayor, who makes $240,511, will not receive a bonus.

Spend your days with Hayes

Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter

Columnist Stephanie Hayes shares thoughts, feelings and funny things with you every Monday.

You are logged in!

Would you like to receive more of our free weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Discover all your possibilities

The St. Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 on July 18 to approve a series of sweeping agreements negotiated by city staff over a year and a half that will see the Rays build a $1.3 billion stadium and redevelop the surrounding land by the team and its development partner, Hines.

The council agreed to provide $287.5 million to build the stadium, most of which will come from future county property tax revenues. The county will contribute $312.5 million from the city tax and the Rays agreed to cover the rest, including any cost overruns.

City Council members also agreed to spend an additional $142 million on roads, sewers and other infrastructure around the stadium.

The three council members who voted against the project, Richie Floyd, John Muhammad and Lisset Hanewicz, said they were surprised to learn that city employees received bonuses for their work.

Floyd said he would ask questions. Muhammad said he was “shocked” by the amount and said staff had done an “amazing job.” Hanewicz said she only learned about the payouts on Thursday, even though they were paid out last month.

“That may be typical for private companies,” she said. “I’m not sure that’s typical for government.”

Council members Deborah Figgs-Sanders, Copley Gerdes, Ed Montanari and Brandi Gabbard did not respond to requests for comment. The fifth responded with a monosyllabic text.

“Speechless,” wrote Gina Driscoll.