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Resident Jack Sumner says new project‑manager role improperly created to retain administrator
Summary
At the Junction City work session, resident Jack Sumner urged the council to abandon a proposed project‑manager hire, saying it appeared to be a job created to retain the city administrator until retirement; council members defended the decision as necessary for multimillion‑dollar wastewater and infrastructure work.
Jack Sumner, a resident who said he sent a March 3, 2026 letter to the council, told elected officials he believed the proposed project‑manager position was created to keep the current administrator employed "until he qualified for retirement." "We're not in the business of creating jobs for people so they can retire," Sumner said, adding he had worked with the subject of his complaint for more than 20 years and was troubled by the extra expense.
Council leaders responded that the council sought to protect the city’s interests as the city prepares to invest in multimillion‑dollar wastewater work. The presiding official said the council followed legal and HR guidance during the hiring process, that the position would focus on coordinating consultants and construction for the city’s water and wastewater systems, and that the council believed "we did the right thing" in moving forward with recruiting a project manager to oversee the work. The council did not take formal action at the work session; the matter was discussed and councilors urged proper procedure before any final vote.
