LC City Manager Search: Councilman Sampson Put Former Top Tier Pick Back on the Table
Meeting tonight at 6 pm
Posted April 18, 2022 03:00 pm
Col. Adams at his first interview |
Columbia
County Observer photo and graphic
LAKE CITY, FL –
The Lake City City Manager Search is in
overtime. This morning, Councilman Todd Sampson
threw a “Hail-Mary” pass. He wants the City
Council to reach back out to former Army Colonel
Glen Adams with a contract offer.
It is widely agreed that top-tier candidates are not looking to relocate and try their hand at Lake City’s helm.
From the beginning, there were issues with the City’s headhunting firm, Narloch & Associates.
Jim Hanson's remarks and city manager pay
figures are here.
On April 11, 2022, professional government manager Jim Hanson told the Council that the news stories he had been reading “make the City look pretty bad.”
At the same meeting, Councilman Eugene Jefferson said of the City's search for a City Manager, "We need all the help we can get."
Pay figures compiled by the Florida League of Cities show that Lake City's original city manager salary offers were unrealistic.
Councilman Sampson’s Proposal
Early this morning, Councilman Sampson emailed a proposal to City Clerk Audrey Sikes, asking to add it to the City's agenda.
The proposal recommends pro forma contract terms be presented to former candidate Glen Adams.
A short while after, Ms. Sikes sent out an updated agenda with Mr. Sampson's proposal.
The Proposal:
• Employment Date: On or about May 15, 2022.
• Base Salary: An annual base salary of $160,000 with a mandatory review of the annual base salary after one year of employment.
• Relocation Expenses: Reimbursement of relocation expenses of up to $10,000.00.
• Employee Benefits: Entitlement to all benefits offered to the highest classification of a full-time employee, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings, annual leave, sick leave, and tuition. All benefits begin on the first day of employment.
• Additional Benefits: Two weeks of annual leave in addition to the default annual leave provided for full-time employees in the classification plan; individual computer laptop, tablet and software, mobile phone, a city-owned vehicle for business use, and life insurance equal to annual salary.
• Business Expenses: Expenses related to position of city manager, including travel, professional memberships in local associations, professional memberships in professional associations, and continuing professional development and education.
• Severance: If terminated without cause, 20 weeks of salary and benefits at the then rate of pay; payment of accrued leave time.
• Performance Evaluation: Annual evaluation based on goals set during a workshop with professional facilitator/consultant.
The City Council will discuss – debate the proposal.
The public will have a chance to weigh in.
Read more about candidate Glen Adams here and here.
It is unknown if Mr. Adams is still interested in being Lake City’s City Manager.
The meeting begins at 6 pm and is available via Youtube.
Epilogue
Before the Clerk added Mr. Sampson's proposal to the agenda, your reporter spoke with Mayor Witt about what he expected the city manager discussion to be at this evening’s Council meeting.
Your reporter asked if he had recently received any letters of interest or resumes from headhunter Narloch.
He said he hadn’t, adding, “We’ll talk about it tonight and figure out where we are going to go. I will be reviewing what has gone on in the past and who we can reach out to. I want to get a good City manager.”
