Mark Watson
The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider a 10 percent salary increase for City Manager Mark Watson.
If council approves, Watson would earn a new annual base salary of $150,321.60, effective Aug. 8, 2013. He started in Oak Ridge about three years ago at an annual salary of $131,996.80.
The pay raise has been unanimously recommended by a three-member City Manager Evaluation Committee. It would require that Watson’s employment agreement be amended.
The recommended increase is based on council member’s evaluations of Watson and his performance during the previous year, said Charles J. “Chuck” Hope Jr., chair of the City Manager Evaluation Committee.
“The committee recommends its adoption as a measure of compensation for the city manager’s excellent performance as indicated by the evaluations completed by the council members,” Hope said in an Aug. 22 memo that is included in the City Council agenda for Monday’s meeting.
The agenda packet includes information about city manager salaries in other U.S. Department of Energy “sister cities.” The city manager in Paducah, Ky., earns $142,209.60, the one in Los Alamos County, N.M., makes $169,671.90, and another in Richland, Wash., is paid $153,421, the packet said.
Another attachment shows other city managers in Tennessee in cities with populations between 15,000 and 100,000 last year earned salaries that ranged from a minimum of $74,785 (Tullahoma) to a maximum of $163,856 (Murfreesboro).
Also Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council will consider the $13 million tax increment financing, or TIF, agreement that could be used to help redevelop the Oak Ridge Mall. The proposal has already been endorsed in 8-0 and 7-0 votes by the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board and Anderson County Operations Committee.
Monday’s meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. See the agenda here.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Amanda Caldwell says
I own two small businesses in Oak Ridge…. I have never been given a tax break, yet I am asked to pay more personally and professionally. It’s a hard pill to swallow when I can’t make ends meet and our city manager is asking for a 10% raise…… After we paid for his PHD? I can understand a raise if Oak Ridge were booming with new businesses, but the ONLY thing coming here are restaurants
Sam Hopwood says
I understand what you are saying but he is overdue for a large salary increase. I had hoped it would be even more. He is the best city manager we have had in some time, in my view
Cindy McCullough says
I have to say that a 10% raise is a rare thing in today’s world and I haven’t been in Oak Ridge long enough to say what one has earned, but I have doubts on that high of a raise.
Sam Hopwood says
Consider that the ORS new Super came in at $178K, but then, the SB was having great difficulty finding anyone who would accept the position. I just think that the City Managers position is more demanding than that of the schools Super, so in that regard, I think we are getting a real bargain. But yes, 10% is a large increase.
Philip W Nipper says
I believe Mr. Watson has done a very good job in the time he has been here and an increase in his pay certainly has been earned. However, I feel his pay increase should be closer to the pay increase other city employees received this year.
TJ Garland says
On one hand he is the CEO of a $180 million business with 300 employees and in the private sector his salary would be 3X as much. On the other hand, has the city’s financial condition, which is dependent on growth and tax revenue increase, improved under his watch?
Tell your council person your views.
Helen Standifer says
I agree but the CEOs don’t have to be successful. In fact they could run their outfit out of business and still make millions. Let’s hope government doesn’t start working that way!
bill henry says
What is so obvious is how out of touch council members Hope,
Hensley, and Miller are. Council gave employees a measly 1% pay raise in July and council just recently voted to do away with the un-funded merit pay policy. City employees have been taking it on the chin and in the wallet for years. It is insulting and demoralizing to give the manager a whopping 10% raise while the real backbone of the city eek by on less. My main gripe is with these three council-people. After all, they are the ones that came up with this ridiculous plan. But, I am no fan of Mr. Watson either. He could have shown some backbone, heart, and real leadership skills (what he is getting paid for) by talking to the committee and refusing this proposal for what it is, demoralizing, lacking any
consideration for other city employees, and totally unrealistic. I for one will remember this fiasco when these three council-people (and whoever else votes for this) come up for re-election.