Ludington council to consider asking voters to extend city manager contract term.

John Shay is current city manager.

Ludington council to consider asking voters to extend city manager contract term.

#LudingtonNews.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — Ludington City Council is expected to vote on a recommendation by its Building & Licenses Committee that would ask the voters to extend the city manager contracted term of service from one year to up to three years. In order for the charter amendment to appear on the August 7, 2018 primary election, the Council must pass a resolution by a 3/5 majority (five of the seven council members must approve).

In 2016, voters defeated a similar proposal, 598 to 573. At that time voters were asked to extend the contract term to five years.

“The committee feels that this amendment is necessary so that qualified applicants are more likely to apply for the city manager position when it is vacant,” City Manager John Shay wrote to the Council in a memo. “Very few, if any, cities have a provision in their charters which limit the terms of their city managers to one year.

“It should be noted that even if the voters approve increasing the city manager’s term to three years, it does not obligate the City Council to enter into a contract with a city manager for three years. Furthermore, if the City Council were to terminate a city manager after the first year of a three-year term, it does not mean that the city is required to pay the city manager’s salary and benefits for the remaining two years of the term. Any such severance payment would be based on whatever provisions are contained in an employment agreement between the city and the city manager.”

City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight, April 23, at City Hall, 400 S. Harrison St.

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