Boulder City council approves employment agreement for incoming city manager

Boulder City Council on Jan. 14 approved an employment agreement with city manager candidate Ned Thomas that adjusts relocation, leave and compensation terms from an earlier contingent offer.

Under the approved terms, Thomas will receive a $10,000 retention bonus payable by the city after he completes two years of service; moving expense reimbursement was reduced to $10,000. The agreement also provides a one‑time 80‑hour leave bank on hire (in addition to regular accruals) to recognize prior seniority and help with relocation. Council also approved an updated salary range reflecting a $220,000 base salary.

Thomas joined the meeting by Zoom to explain the leave bank request. "I see this vacation bank is compensating for the loss in seniority that I have at my current organization," he said, adding that the bank allows a new executive to start with paid time off instead of beginning at zero.

Council members raised legal and fairness questions about providing an upfront leave bank for an appointed executive and whether such banks had been used previously. City staff and the city attorney said similar one‑time allocations had precedent in prior appointed contracts; the payroll and finance offices confirmed the city can treat the allocation like other vacation banks, subject to payout rules and fund accounting. Finance staff also noted that the city's compensated‑absences fund is managed to cover potential payout liabilities.

The contract specifies that professional development expenses would be itemized and requested through the annual budget process and that the council retains authority to approve or adjust those budgeted amounts. After discussion and clarifying questions, the council voted unanimously to approve the agreement.

The hire is contingent on the executed employment agreement; next steps include finalizing any administrative details and onboarding.