Arkansas City Mayor Mell Kuhn isn’t annoyed that city manager Doug Russell apparently has a new job in another state.
He does wonder, though, why Russell gave no indication that he was interested in another job just a year and a half after he became Ark City’s manager.
“This was unexpected. Very much so,” Kuhn said. “I’m not annoyed that he’s leaving, not at all. It’s just the way he went about it.”
The Press and Dakotan newspaper in Yankton, S. D. reported in Wednesday’s edition that the Yankton city commission voted Tuesday night to hire Russell as the town’s new manager. His contract is effective July 7. His salary will be $85,000, according to the newspaper.
Russell was in his office today but said only that he would issue a statement “when he is ready.” At the moment he has a verbal agreement but not a written contract with his new employers, according to a source.
It’s not clear when he’ll officially resign as Ark City manager.
There were no indications that Russell was considering moving on, according to Kuhn. He didn’t ask for something he didn’t get. There were no problems between Russell and the commission.
“We just gave him a big raise – more than we should have, obviously.”
Russell, 34, earned $70,000 until Nov. 20, 2007 when the Ark City Commission raised his pay to $78,000. City commissioner Patrick McDonald, in an e-mail to NewsCow, said Russell indicated his departure was not about salary.
“He says money was not an issue ? and I completely believe him,” McDonald said.
The commission and Russell have what Kuhn called a “one-sided” contract. Russell can walk away anytime he wants without a penalty, but would receive a severance package should his contract be terminated.
“It would hurt us to fire him, but he could quit any time he wanted,” Kuhn said.
Department heads know their jobs Kuhn said, so he expects a seamless transition. The commission has not yet met to discuss the ramifications of Russell’s departure but Kuhn has someone in mind to serve as interim manager and said that transitional person may well be Russell’s replacement.
“I’m assuming the other commissioners have ideas also,” he said.
Kuhn didn’t think it necessary to call a special meeting. The commission will meet in its usual work session at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the city building and in regular session at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Both meetings are open to the public although the commission does at times go into executive session. Kansas law is very specific about the reasons an elected body may close a meeting to the public.
