Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Contract topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Columbia Borough Council approves one-year borough manager contract with staged PTO payout
Summary
Council approved a one-year contract for the borough manager, setting a May 1, 2026 start for full-time manager duties, a structured payout schedule for accrued leave, and a requirement that the manager obtain a Certified Borough Official designation within three years.
Columbia Borough Council on Feb. 3 approved a one-year employment contract for the borough manager that sets a May 1, 2026 start for full-time manager duties and details compensation and leave payouts.
Council approved the motion moved by Councilwoman Giese and seconded by Councilman Myers. The contract, as summarized during the meeting, provides $2,000 per month in additional pay when the manager serves in an acting capacity in addition to his regular police salary; establishes that the manager will devote full-time attention to borough administration beginning May 1, 2026; and specifies that the manager will receive the same health and retirement benefits offered to borough employees.
Council outlined a three-stage payout of accrued paid leave that was negotiated into the agreement: one-third of the existing leave, totaling $22,549.90, will be paid in the first payroll in May 2026; a second one-third of $22,549.90 will be paid in May 2027; and any remaining unused leave would be paid in May 2028. The contract also preserves certain post-retirement health-care rights tied to the police collective bargaining agreement and limits annual carryover of unused leave to five days going forward.
The agreement requires the manager to obtain the Certified Borough Official (CBO) designation within three years and describes termination provisions: the borough may terminate the manager for cause or without cause (Pennsylvania is an at-will state), and if terminated without cause the manager would be entitled to severance equal to three months pay plus one additional month for each completed year of service after the first year, up to a maximum of six months.
Council members debated parity questions — whether other managers have contracts and how this compares to typical practice — and sought assurances that the borough would enforce the five-day carryover limit moving forward. Council said the contract must be signed to be published; by council practice it will be re-ratified at the annual reorganization meeting.
The motion passed by voice vote; the record in the meeting minutes did not include a roll-call tally.
