Brentwood Recruitment Highlights Changing Landscape for City Manager Compensation
Joseph Turner
Host of City Manager Unfiltered podcast | Founder of the American Association of Municipal Executives | Have largest and most engaged audience of city/county managers | Proud father of a United States Marine & Sailor
If at first you don't succeed -- try, try again.
Such is the case for a premiere community outside of Nashville who struggled to land a city manager the first time around.
Two county administrators in Florida were arrested on felony charges -- including yours truly.
And in New York -- a community is trying to switch over to a council manager form of government -- but even ICMA leaders are suggesting the proposal goes too far.
All that and more in this week's news roundup sponsored by the American Association of Municipal Executives job board. It is FREE to post your executive and senior level public sector recruitments.
TN: Brentwood Recruitment Highlights Changing Landscape for City Manager Compensation
Brentwood City Manager Kirk Bednar was earning $221,000 when he retired a couple months ago. He was a seasoned veteran of the profession having served the community for more about 25 years.
Jason Gage will replace him and start with a salary of $267,500.
Brentwood failed to land a city manager in their first round of recruitment. If you recall, I highlighted in a previous issue of this newsletter how they failed to disclose a salary range. It was highly likely that their definition of "highly competitive" did not match their finalist's expectations and that the council expected to pay Bednar's replacement something akin to what he was earning.
If you are replacing a city manager who has had a lengthy tenure with the organization -- it is HIGHLY likely that they are underpaid and that you need to be aggressive in your initial ask when you open salary negotiations.
NY: Experts question Hudson proposal to create city manager
A proposal to transfer mayoral power to a city manager would give the new position too much authority, two management specialists said
Jason Grant, the director of advocacy for the International City/County Management Association, and Chuck Strome, executive director of the New York State City/County Management Association, said the Hudson proposal would give the manager “political powers,” whereas the position should be tasked solely with carrying out the policy of elected officials.
The pair said they had never seen a city manager given some of the powers they would have under the Hudson proposal.
FL: Walton County and Assistant County Administrators Arrested
Walton County Administrator Quinn Robertson and Assistant County Administrator Joseph Turner were arrested on two third degree felony charges.
In December 2023, Robertson and Turner turned over a county owned iPad and asked the Walton County Sheriff's Office to investigate possible criminal activity.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said they took the original complaints regarding this case but have now deferred the case to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Both have been charged with illegal interception of communication and denial of the ability to transmit data to or from an authorized user of a computer, computer system, computer network.
News Around the Country
AL: Homewood City Council appoints Glen Adams to be their first city manager
FL: Century Town Council Advances Plan to Hire A Town Administrator
FL: Several Biscayne Park cops quit force, pointing fingers at interim village manager
MA: Templeton town administrator to resign over ‘political witch hunt’
TX: Amarillo city manager's decision to pay police chief to retire draws public backlash
VT: Brighton voters retain town manager position
WV: Firefighters' Union Opposes Effort to Remove Residency Requirements for Morgantown City Manager
Contract & Compensation News
CA: Claremont approves $20,929 bonus for city manager - second bonus in a year - salary of $261,000
FL: Fort Lauderdale signs $350,000 contract with new city manager from Miami Beach
FL: Fort Pierce City Commission balks at $235,000 salary request from city manager choice
IL: Buffalo Grove Village Manager Dane Bragg crushing it -- scores $30,000 bonus on current salary of $319,000.
MN: Eden Prairie city manager gets 4.3% bump to $240,000
NC: Hope Mills town manager gets a 11.68% raise to $140,000
NV: Clark County manager gets a contract extension -- pay set at $343,000 with 3% annual increases
OR: Florence City Manager Erin Reynolds gets rave reviews scoring 3.97 out of 4.00 scale with salary bumped to $173,163
In Memoriam
WA: Former Clallam County administrator Jim Jones dies at 71 after body boarding injury
Job Board Postings
City/County Manager Recruitments
Finance/Budgeting
Interesting salary data with most at 200K plus. Bradley Ford, City Compensation any thoughts on this?
City Manager at City of Uvalde, Texas
2 天前Wow, my fantasy life come true. ??
(Retired) City Attorney Engaged and Experienced Municipal Leader
2 天前Yeah, uhhhhh … no thank you. That’s not the council-manager form of government that I have come to know and love.