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Ione council approves city manager contract extension, salary increase and extended severance
Summary
Council approved a first-amendment and restated employment contract for the city manager, extending the contract to 2029, raising the annual salary from $135,000 to $180,000, and extending severance from three months to 18 months. The vote followed public comment in support and some concern about the size of the increase.
The Island City Council voted to approve a first amendment and restated employment contract for the city manager on Jan. 21 that extends the manager’s term and increases compensation.
Under the amendment presented to council, the city manager’s contract term would extend to 2029 and the manager’s base salary would rise from $135,000 to $180,000 per year. The contract also increases severance from three months to 18 months and adjusts benefits so the city contributes a percentage toward retirement and the full cost of the manager’s health insurance premiums, per the contract as announced to the public after the vote.
Council discussion and public comment were significant. Multiple residents, current and former staff and volunteers and contractors spoke in support of the manager’s performance, citing improvements in audits, operational continuity and interest income realized on city reserves. A few speakers urged caution about the magnitude of the pay increase and stressed adherence to existing contractual terms. The council heard both operational testimonials and concerns about fiscal optics given the city’s broader revenue challenges.
After public comment the council moved and seconded the resolution and approved it by voice vote (transcript records “Ayes have it”). The mayor read the contract’s principal financial terms into the record immediately after the vote: $180,000 salary through 2029, severance of 18 months, retirement contribution percentage unchanged, and city-paid health-care premiums.
