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Juno Beach council coalesces around $195,000 starting salary for town manager, debates benefits
Summary
At an Aug. 6 special workshop, Juno Beach councilors signaled consensus on a $195,000 starting salary for the town manager while negotiating contract language on bonuses, longevity pay, and severance. The town attorney will draft the next contract and lead preliminary negotiations.
The Juno Beach Town Council on Aug. 6 gave direction on key elements of an employment agreement for its interim town manager and indicated a consensus to target a $195,000 starting salary.
Councilors spent much of a two-hour workshop arguing whether to use a prior local manager contract (the Rob Cole form) as the base or adopt a newer hybrid draft prepared by the town attorney. After comparing regional municipal salaries and annualizing the interim manager—andidate's hourly pay, council members framed what they considered a reasonable permanent salary. Caitlin (clerk) summarized the emerging agreement: "There was a consensus, we have 3 so far, for 195,000." The salary range in town policy staff cited starts at $126,683 and tops out at about $223,436; staff said a 3.2% cost-of-living increase will take effect Oct. 1.
Beyond salary, councilors debated which supplemental provisions to include. Several members objected to a set of new "goodies" they characterized as annual longevity pay, unspecified bonuses and expanded leave; others said some new-language provisions would strengthen public-records obligations and provide a pre-negotiated severance mechanism. The town attorney told the council that the draft contract—orm was adapted from another municipality but could be edited to incorporate preferred items from the older local contract.
The council directed staff and the town attorney to prepare an edited draft that reflects the council—onsensus on salary, restores a performance-review process, and clarifies retirement vesting, paid-leave payout rules and the mechanics of health-coverage continuation on termination. The draft will be circulated to council members for review before any offer is transmitted to the candidate; the attorney will serve as the liaison for preliminary negotiation, with final approval reserved for a public council meeting.
The workshop produced guidance but not a finalized contract. Councilors asked the attorney to return a revised draft that removes ambiguities (notably around bonuses, longevity pay and leave accrual payouts) and aligns payout and vesting terms with the town—mployee handbook. The council will consider the final document in a subsequent public meeting.
