By Beacon Staff
The Burlington City Council unanimously approved a contract to keep former city manager Jim Ferneau on an interim basis.
The contract was approved during a special city council meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 6). He will be paid $90 an hour, without benefits or insurance. His annual salary as city manager was $157,000, not including benefits.
Ferneau’s last day as city manager was Oct. 2, coming after his resignation. Ferneau will be starting a new FedEx business in northwest Iowa.
Ferneau nor the city can end the contract on a two-week notice, and the contract will automatically terminate if a new city manager is hired.
Finding and hiring a new city manager is a four- to six-month process, involving a search firm to suss out candidates. For the first month or so, Ferneau will likely be working his usual 40-hours-a-week, but then those hours will taper down as he phases himself out.
Nick MacGregor, assistant city manager for public works, will take over Ferneau’s position on an interim basis in the coming months.
“I just don’t want to put union contract negotiations and budget on him, too,” Ferneau said. “You’re not going to have anyone here to replace me until after the budget season is over, realistically.”
Ferneau is also assisting the city with hiring a new police chief to replace Dennis Kramer, who retired from the department on Oct. 1. Final interviews for that job will likely start in the first week of December, Ferneau said. A search firm is assisting the city in the process.
“This (contract) is long enough to get through the things I would like to get through, if that’s what you please,” Ferneau said at the Sept. 28 meeting.
Burlington Mayor Jon Billups, a former business owner himself, noted how busy Ferneau will be in starting his new operation. For Ferneau, it will be like working two full-time jobs.“I think it’s commendable you’re willing to do that,” Billups said.