PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles City Council thanked Kent Myers on Tuesday for a job well-done but opted for no changes to the city manager’s salary after his annual employment review.
Mayor Dan Di Guilio said after a 25-minute closed-door executive session that it is not the time for pay raises for city administrators since City Hall has been seeking concessions from unions, including a wage freeze.
“It doesn’t reflect on the job that he is doing,” he said. “It’s just a reflection of the economic times right now.”
“We believe that he is doing a very good job,” Di Guilio said.
Myers, as city manager, oversees 230 full-time employees and a budget of $124.5 million for 2011.
The council hired Myers in December 2008, with a salary of $150,000, to replace interim City Manager Jerry Osterman.
He received a 5 percent increase during his first employment review about one year ago, which bumped his pay to $157,590 a year.
Osterman came on board as the temporarily replacement for Mark Madsen, who resigned in 2008 citing “untenable, hostile working conditions” with some council members. Madsen made $148,000 a year and received $37,000 in severance pay.
Myers’ contract provides for severance pay equal to six months’ salary and health benefits if he was terminated for any reason that was not for “cause.” He would not receive any severance pay if he resigned.
With health benefits and retirement contributions, Myers’ employment costs the city $180,120, said Bob Coons, city human resources manager.
As part of his contract, Myers receives 30 days of general leave a year.
Leave not used rolls over to the next year for all city employees, Coons said. The cap is 960 hours.
Myers has 37.5 days of accrued leave, he said.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
