The Citizen

The Auburn City Council can extend City Manager Mark Palesh's contract with the city this week for another 18 months. But not all members of the council are on board at this time.

A proposal to extend Palesh's contract is scheduled for a vote during Thursday's city council meeting. The manager's current, three-year contract is up Feb. 20, 2010, and the resolution would extend that another 18 months.

The proposal would also give Palesh a slightly larger annual raise than he receives under his current contract. As of now, his salary increases 2.5 percent annually. If passed, the new contract would include a 3 percent annual raise starting in 2010, according to the proposal.

Palesh said Monday that he has “thoroughly enjoyed” working with Auburn Mayor Michael Quill and the city council on many municipal projects.

“I look forward to finishing some of these projects and adding more to them,” Palesh said, who added that there could be a continued focus on economic development.

Councilor Matthew Smith said it has been a mutual decision to try and extend the contract at this time. If Auburn continues as it has financially, the city will have seen three years of economic stability in a row when the contract is up, Smith said.

“The city is actually moving in the right direction, and a big part of that is due to the city manager's efforts,” he said.

Smith also said the half-percent pay increase is “very friendly” to the taxpayers. According to the 2008-2009 budget, the city manager's annual salary is $111,623.

“With economic conditions as they are the council is not ready for a lucrative contract,” he said.

But not every councilor agrees. Thomas McNabb said he is against committing at this time to an extension. It is too early to make such a decision, McNabb said Monday.

“We can hold off for a year,” he said. “I don't understand why we have to do it now.”

McNabb said looking through the city budget and finding unnecessary expenditures needs to be the higher priority. If the economic crisis facing the federal and state government leads to major funding cuts for Auburn, the city will be in bad shape next year, McNabb said.

“In a year and four months we will have better judgment of where we are financially to (extend the contract),” he said.

But for Councilor Gilda Brower, it is important to establish some consistency at the city manager's office. City officials do not want to worry about making major transitions in the near future, she said, especially when Auburn is looking at a number of energy projects and a comprehensive plan.

“We have so many irons on the fire,” Brower said. “We need the consistency.”

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net