The Augusta City Council voted on Jan. 6 to extend the city manager’s contract through 2029 and to approve a 3% salary increase following an executive session to conduct the city manager’s annual evaluation.

Councilmember (speaker 8) moved the council into a 30-minute executive session citing the nonelected personnel exception under Kansas law (KSA 75-4-431(b)(1)). The motion was seconded and carried. The council indicated they would return to the chamber around 8:49–8:50 p.m.

After the executive session, the council moved to extend the city manager’s contract to 2029 and then voted to increase the city manager’s salary by 3%. Both motions were seconded and approved by voice vote.

During adjournment there was a brief dispute: one councilmember said they believed no action should be taken in executive session and observed that action had been taken; another councilmember said actions could not be taken in executive session. The transcript records that the motions to extend the contract and to approve a 3% increase were made and approved after the executive session.

The council’s motions were recorded as passed by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.