Kalispell City Council will hold a special meeting tonight at 7:00 p.m. to vote on whether to allow Mayor Pam Kennedy to sign the city manager employment contract for Jane Howington of Dayton, Ohio.
Howington, currently the assistant city manager of operations for Dayton, was offered the city manager position in Kalispell by the council, and she signed the contract, last week. Now the council must decide whether Kennedy should sign it. Although council members voted unanimously to extend an offer to Howington, there could be some resistance from some council members to the salary she will receive.
Howington’s annual salary will be $112,500, with an additional yearly payment of $5,000 deferred compensation that will be allocated to a retirement plan. As assistant city manager of operations for Dayton, a city of about 170,000, Howington’s current salary is $119,600, according to a report in the Dayton Daily News. The deal allows Howington to maintain her current level of compensation, and Kennedy said the city manager’s budget has been modified such that the salary does not draw additional money out of the general fund. The original salary range offered by the city when it advertised the position was $90,000-$120,000.
Howington’s employment package also includes 80 hours per year of paid vacation for her first year of employment, and 120 hours of paid vacation in subsequent years. The city is providing a car and fuel, medical and dental coverage, and up to $20,000 in moving expenses.
City council will give Howington an annual performance evaluation, but there is no term of employment in her contract and can be terminated at any time, with three months severance. The term of employment was a key sticking point in the city’s offer to its initial pick, Matt McKillip of Kokomo, Ind. McKillip declined the offer two weeks ago due to another job opportunity and a wish for a longer employment contract from the city.
For more on Howington and the city manager hiring process, check out last week’s story here.