Menu
Martin receives new city administrator contract
Showing support for City Manager Dave Martin, the Fort Scott City Commission rewarded Martin with a new three-year contract during their regular meeting Tuesday night.
Following a brief executive session at the end of the meeting, the commission unanimously approved offering Martin an additional three-year contract. The new contract comes with an $80,828 annual base salary -- about a 10 percent increase from Martin's previous salary of $72,828.
"I feel pretty good about their feeling that I'm assisting and moving the city in the right direction," Martin said Wednesday. "It's really a team effort. We've built a good staff. It's not about me. It's about the city of Fort Scott. We're public servants. I'm humbled the commission feels like I'm doing the right things."
Mayor Cindy Bartelsmeyer thanked Martin during Tuesday's meeting for his work as city manager.
Martin, who came on board as city manager in 2010, received a new contract in 2012 that included a 2-percent raise in his salary. That contract was set to run through September 2015 but the new contract signed Tuesday -- which runs through 2016 -- supersedes the previous deal.
"During the executive session, we discuss what's going on with the past year and compare evaluations to determine whether to increase the pay," Bartelsmeyer said. "We're basically adding another year."
Bartelsmeyer added a three-year contract is "pretty much in line" with administrative contracts at local school districts and community colleges.
The terms of Martin's contract and his job performance are evaluated each year by the commission at which point commissioners can discuss whether to renew the contract and also a possible pay increase.
"Should he not be doing a good job and there is a need to terminate, we can still do that," Bartelsmeyer said.
Martin credited city staff for helping him try to move the city forward.
"When they hired me, I had no experience in city government," he said. "They took a chance. I was fortunate during the interview process to have the references and stuff for the commission to give me a chance to do what I thought I could do. I feel I've proven myself, with all of the education in city government and leadership training I've gone through. I felt like I was on the right track. I'm humbled and appreciative for what they've done."
"I'm only as good as the people that work with me," he added.
Bartelsmeyer explained the reasons behind the commission's decision to give Martin a significant boost in pay.
"He's done an exceptionally good job with the city," she said. "We've seen some growth and some new businesses have come to town. Others have increased the numbers they employ. It goes back to good city management. The hailstorm (in April) was managed very well by city staff. I think the leadership speaks for itself."
Bartelsmeyer added the commission wants to try to get Martin more in line with salaries of city administrators in other nearby communities.
"In other communities, they're in the $100,000 (per year) or higher range," she said. "Dave came in with no experience and started low. He's had three years of very successful experience under his belt. He's attended classes to become a better city manager. He's well-respected in the community."
"We want to increase his pay in increments," she added. "We want to get him up to where other city managers are ... we don't want to lose him."
Bartelsmeyer said Martin's new salary is figured into the 2014 city budget.
Martin said city employees will be getting 2-percent increases in their salaries as part of the 2014 budget. The raises for city staff are based on performance, he said.
"It's not about the money, it's about the work," Martin said. "I'm honored the commissioners feel that I'm doing a good job. My staff is doing a good job. It's about the confidence in staff we have, too."