ED director receives contract, 4% raise
Staff reporter
After weeks of turmoil between some of the Marion City Council members and economic development director Jami Williams regarding a pay increase and a mediocre job performance evaluation, the council approved a six-month temporary contract with Williams Monday evening that reflected a four percent pay increase.
Following a 30-minute executive session with Williams, city attorney Dan Baldwin, and city administrator David Mayfield in attendance, the council returned to open session and approved a contract based on a salary of $52,000 per year for Williams which reflected more than a four percent pay increase. Mayor Mary Olson and councilman Bill Holdeman voted against the contract.
The agreement can be terminated with a 14-day written notice by either Williams or the council. If the council terminates the contract without finding another employee to fill the position, Williams will receive 42 days of severance pay.
Prior to the executive session and after Williams presented her department report to the council, Holdeman told Williams that she had "opened up the door" when she did an article with the Marion County Record.
"It would have been nice if you had told the paper that you were wanting an eight percent raise," Holdeman said. "The bottom line is it was about money."
Williams asked why Holdeman was bringing up executive session topics in an open meeting, and added that she can talk about the executive session topic when it's about her but Holdeman could not. Baldwin verified that negotiations are not open record.
The incident ended and the group entered the executive session.
Williams resigned Dec. 31 after receiving a below outstanding job performance evaluation by the council. She told the Record that one of the reasons she resigned from the position was because she did not have the full support of the council.
