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McNeil enters contract for city manager post

ESCANABA — There’s a new city manager in town.

The Escanaba city council voted unanimously Thursday to approve a contract with City Assessor Jim McNeil, who has served as the city’s interim city manager since Nov. 4, 2022. McNeil will now serve as both the city’s manager and assessor.

The joint nature of the position leads to a number of unique features of the contract. For example, during the first year of McNeil’s employment — which according to the contract began Nov. 4, the date he began serving as the interim manager — McNeil may be terminated by a majority vote of the city council, for any reason, without severance pay. However, he will be allowed to stay with the city as the assessor if he so chooses.

McNeil’s pay is also based on his combined roles. Under the contract, McNeil will receive $145,000, with $120,000 of that being considered compensation for city manager duties and $25,000 being for assessor duties.

After one year, McNeil can only be fired by the council if a minimum of four council members vote for his dismissal.

In most cases, McNeil would be paid three-months salary over a three month period in severance if the council decided to end his contract. The city would stop paying the severance if he secured other employment at any point during the three month period.

There are, however, circumstances outlined in the contract where no severance would be paid by the city. Specifically, if McNeil were to willfully breach the contract or willfully and repeatedly neglect his duties, be convicted of a crime related to his employment with the city, be convicted of a felony, engage in conduct against the city’s established policies and procedures, or resign from the manager’s position.

Starting at $3.50/week.

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