Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Manager Contract Succession topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newberg council unanimously approves contract extension for City Manager Will Worthy; adopts review and succession plans
Summary
The Newberg City Council on Oct. 6 approved a new employment contract for City Manager Will Worthy, including a modest raise, a 10-month severance provision and 80 hours of leave per year, and voted to adopt a revised annual review process and a formal succession plan.
City Manager Will Worthy asked the Newberg City Council on Oct. 6 to approve a multiyear contract intended to carry him through to retirement; the council voted unanimously to approve the agreement and separately adopted a new annual review process and a formal succession plan.
Worthy told the council he requested the contract early to avoid a gap in employment late in his current term and to ensure continuity for his family. “My hope is I'll still be able to be here and help with the recruitment for the next city manager,” Worthy said during the meeting.
The contract approved by resolution 20 25 39 96 (as presented at the meeting) includes a modest salary increase, a 10-month severance provision and an annual allotment of 80 hours of leave. Worthy said the raise is modest relative to regional comparables and noted the city has realized more than $1,000,000 in savings under his management.
Council members and senior staff offered extensive public praise for Worthy’s leadership and the team he has assembled. Mayor Rosacker told Worthy, “Without you, there's no telling exactly where this city would be today,” and described the city’s current stability as tied to Worthy’s stewardship. Several department heads and staff members told the council they feel more supported and better organized under Worthy’s leadership.
In the same meeting the council approved a change to the city manager annual review process, adopting the system used for department heads that emphasizes forward-looking performance conversations rather than a grid-based score. The council passed that resolution as 20 25 39 94.
The council also approved a succession plan for the city manager position, Resolution 20 25 39 95, which Worthy said he included in his contract discussions to ensure an orderly future transition and to allow him to assist with recruitment when the time comes.
The contract and related resolutions were deliberated in open session after an executive session during which legal and personnel matters were discussed. Councilors said the package balances continuity for the city with protections for the employee, and Worthy pledged to take at least four weeks of leave next year.
The council vote on the employment contract was unanimous; the transcript records the motion, a second, and a unanimous ayes vote. The meeting packet provided council members their first detailed opportunity to review pay and benefits following executive session discussion.
Looking ahead, Worthy said the revised review process aims to align senior staff priorities with council goals and to promote improvements in city operations. The succession resolution charges staff with preparing for an eventual leadership transition while allowing Worthy to play a constructive role in recruiting and onboarding his successor.
