Apr. 17—MORGANTOWN — Incoming City Manager Jamie Miller will begin employment with the city of Morgantown no later than June 23 and will start with a base annual salary of $175, 000.
This is according to the employment agreement signed by Miller and provided to The Dominion Post.
Morgantown City Council convened in special session for roughly 90 seconds on Wednesday to unanimously approve Miller’s hiring.
The current city manager in Paris, Ky., Miller was one of three finalists for the position to sit for in-person interviews with members of council.
The city said it will not release the names of the other finalists.
“Out of consideration for the finalists’ privacy, that information will not be provided by the City of Morgantown. We respect and appreciate privacy expectations related to personnel information, ” Communications Director Brad Riffee explained.
In addition to all employee benefit offerings available through the city, Miller’s benefits include an annual city contribution equal to 13.5 % of her annual salary to a retirement plan through the International City Managers Association.
The city will provide a $600 monthly allowance to defray vehicle costs and will either provide a mobile phone or provide up to $60 monthly for a phone.
Miller will begin employment with 40 hours of paid time off and will accrue PTO at a rate of 9.25 hours per pay period.
As city manager residency has been an issue in the recent past—and is the subject of a potential city charter change currently before voters—the contract stipulates the city must be Miller’s primary residence “as evidenced by spending the majority of their time in the city and reflecting the city as primary residence on official documents including voter’s registration, driver’s license and property taxes.”
In order to make that happen, the city will pay up to $15, 000 in relocation costs and an additional $15, 000 for transitional housing, which equates to $2, 500 per month for up to six months. Further, she will start with 24 hours of paid administrative leave time which shall be used in connection with the relocation.
Should Miller choose to leave the position within two years, she’ll be responsible to repay all relocation and transitional housing costs.
Morgantown City Council will conduct a performance review with the new manager within six months of the start of employment and at least once annually thereafter.
Further, Miller’s salary will be reviewed annually by council and may be increased.
Miller, whose experience as a chief municipal administrator includes a stint as the interim city manager in Port Orange, Fla., and two years as the city manager in Paris, Ky., steps into the seat left open by Kim Haws’ December retirement.
Haws came to Morgantown after 20 years as the city manager in Bridgeport and previous city manager experience in Ohio and Arizona.
He was hired for a base salary of $150, 000 in December 2020. His salary was adjusted to $154, 500 in January 2023.
Engineering and Public Works Director Damien Davis has served as the city’s interim manager since Haws’ retirement.
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