SEQUIM — City Manager Steve Burkett received high marks in his second annual City Council review, but he, along with most of the city staff, will not see a raise this year in hard economic times.
The Sequim City Council completed Burkett’s annual review during a closed meeting this week, rating his overall performance as an 8.58 on a scale of 1 to 10.
The annual review was for performance evaluation and feedback only from the council, a statement said.
No salary increase
As is the case with most of the city’s 73 employees, Burkett is not scheduled to receive a salary increase in 2012.
The City Council is discussing potential revisions to Burkett’s employment agreement that would extend the agreement through 2014.
Under his $120,000-a-year contract, Burkett can receive a maximum raise of about $6,000 based on merit and the cost of living.
Given that most of the staff would not see salary increases this year under the city’s pay freeze, Burkett said, “I didn’t think it was appropriate for me to get a raise.”
The only city staff to see raises were members of the city’s two police bargaining units for officers and patrol sergeants.
Those increases had been negotiated before the freeze went into effect this year.
Mayor Ken Hays lauded Burkett’s performance.
High commitment
“It’s hard to imagine a manager more committed to this difficult job,” Hays said of Burkett, who started with the city in October 2009.
“He seems to emphasize strong financials as the pathway to a better city organization and for the ability of a city organization to accomplish greater city-community goals.”
The overall performance score was broken into ratings in three areas: managerial performance, 8.54; councilor-manager relationship, 8.6; and employee and public relations, 8.6.
“I didn’t rate the city manager as a 10 because that’s a perfect score, and Steve has indicated that he always feels there is room to grow and improve,” said Mayor Pro Tem Ted Miller.
Improvements
The City Council suggested that the city manager improve quarterly reporting, continue to work on developing positive relations with regional leaders and improve the budget as a policy document.
Burkett’s major accomplishments in 2011, according to council members, include acquiring a site for the new police station/city hall on West Cedar Street, completion of an employee survey that showed a significant improvement in employee satisfaction levels and completion of a citizen satisfaction survey that indicated overall high levels of satisfaction with city services but also provided comment on potential areas of improvement.
Key goals
Burkett also completed many of his key goals, including effectively implementing the City Council policy agenda and priorities, maintaining and updating a long-range financial plan that maintains a balanced budget, developing and recommending a capital improvement program and building an effective leadership team.
Also listed as key goals: completing implementation of financial policies, recommending adoption of a downtown plan, assisting department heads in the development and completion of their key goals for 2011, improving two-way communication with city residents and beginning an update of the comprehensive plan.
Since coming on board in late 2009, Burkett has made several changes in his management staff, replacing the police chief, hiring new public works and planning directors, and creating a new communications and marketing manager position.
Burkett said he was pleased with the council’s review.
“I am glad to see that they have a lot of trust and confidence in me,” he said, adding that he could not have done it without the help of his staff.
Goals this year
He said he will focus this year on the council’s goals just adopted: studying the feasibility of modernizing Guy Cole center at Carrie Blake Park, improving street maintenance, securing financing and planning to build a new City Hall municipal center on West Cedar Street land the city owns, adopting a comprehensive plan and developing an economic development plan.
“The biggest issue is just helping us negotiate through the financial and budget issues for another year,” he said.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.