Transition Year Employment Agr
TRANSITION YEAR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Transition Year Employment Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into this
3(tlaay of January, 2005, by and between the City of Salina, Kansas ("Employer") and
Dennis M. Kissinger ("Employee").
Recitals
A. Employer has employed Employee as City Manager since 1988 pursuant
to an Employment Agreement dated January 10, 1988; an Amendment dated December
19, 1994; a Second Amendment dated August 18, 1998; and a Third Amendment dated
August 12,2002 (collectively, the "Current Employment Agreement").
B. Employee has advised Employer's governing body (the "City
Commission") of his intention to retire as City Manager in December of2005 in order to
allow for a well-planned transition in the city manager's position over the course of 2005.
C. The City Commission wishes to (1) initiate the process of carefully
conducting an executive search for a professional city manager to replace Employee due
to his retirement; (2) have maximum flexibility in the timing of engagement of a new city
manager; and (3) avoid adversely impacting Employee's retirement schedule and
benefits.
D. Employer and Employee wish to replace the Current Employment
Agreement with this Agreement as the full restatement of the employment relationship in
order to best address the interests of the citizens of Salina, the Employer, the Employee,
and prospective city manager candidates throughout this very important period of
administrative transition for the City of Salina.
The Parties, therefore, agree as follows:
Section 1.
Duties.
Employee shall continue to perform the duties of city manager as prescribed by
Kansas law, City ordinances, or lawful direction ofthe City Commission; or assigned
duties as Senior Management Consultant under the circumstances described in Section 3
of this Agreement.
Section 2.
Term.
A. This Agreement shall be effective as of January 1, 2005 and shall remain
in effect through December 15,2005, unless modified by mutual consent of the parties.
B. Regular separation from employment for Employee's retirement purposes
is scheduled for December 15,2005. Employee's last scheduled duty day is November
30, 2005, with vacation leave to be taken for the remaining work days through December
15,2005.
Section 3.
Possible Change in Employee's Title and Duties During Term.
A. Employer and Employee recognize that in 2005 Employer will be
conducting an executive search for a professional city manager to replace Employee due
to his planned retirement. Employer and Employee also recognize that the City
Commission's ability to hire the most qualified applicant may depend upon its ability to
bring the incoming city manager into City of Salina employment prior to the Employee's
scheduled retirement date and the ending date of this Agreement.
B. If a new city manager is appointed and reports for duty on a date (the
"Transition Date") prior to November 30, 2005, the Employee is willing to be reassigned
as of the Transition Date to a position as Senior Management Advisor to report to and be
supervised by the incoming city manager in the performance of executive and
management duties as assigned for part or all of the balance of the term of this
Agreement. Consequently, upon the basis of consultation between the incoming city
manager and the City Commission, the assumption of duties by a new city manager prior
to November 30,2005 will result in one of the following scenarios. Commencing with
the Transition Date, the Employee will:
(1) Be reassigned as Senior Management Advisor for the balance of
the term of this Agreement; or
(2) Be reassigned as Senior Management Advisor for a definite or
indefinite period of time less than the balance of the term of this Agreement and
will, upon completing the assignment as Senior Management Advisor, qualify for
the early separation pay and benefits set forth below for the balance ofthe term of
this Agreement; or
(3) Be advised by Employer no less than thirty days prior to the
Transition Date that Employee's services as Senior Management Advisor will not
be necessary and will, from and after the Transition Date, qualify for the early
separation pay and benefits set forth below for the balance of the term of this
Agreement.
C. No change in compensation, benefits or other provision of this Agreement
shall occur with a reassignment to a Senior Management Advisor position.
Section 4.
Early Separation and Severance Pay.
A. In keeping with the underlying tenets of the city manager form oflocal
government, at any time during the term of this Agreement the City Commission may
terminate the services of the Employee when deemed to be in the City's best interest.
Such early separation shall be implemented by the City Commission initiating an early
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separation personnel action and providing Employee a minimum thirty days advance
written notice ofthe separation decision.
B. If Employer initiates early separation of Employee, Employer agrees to
pay Employee a lump sum cash equal to the base salary Employee would have earned
through the ending date of this Agreement.
C. If Employee is terminated because of his conviction of any illegal act
involving personal gain to him, Employer shall have no obligation to pay the severance
sum designated in this section.
D. If Employee voluntarily resigns his position, that resignation shall not
constitute early separation under this section, and Employer shall have no obligation to
pay the severance sum designated in this section. If Employee is to voluntarily resign,
Employee shall give Employer a minimum 30-day notice in advance, unless the parties
otherwise agree.
Section 5.
Salary.
Employer agrees to pay Employee for services rendered pursuant to this
Agreement an annualized base salary of$105,960 in accordance with Resolution Number
04-6110, approved on August 16, 2004, adopting the City of Salina Position
Classification and Salary Schedule.
Section 6.
Automobile Allowance.
Employee shall receive an allowance of$500 per month for business use of his
vehicle. For business trips outside the City, Employee shall receive additional
compensation for each mile driven pursuant to the City mileage reimbursement policy.
Section 7.
Vacation and Sick Leave.
A. Employee shall accrue and have credited to his personal account, paid
vacation leave of twenty (20) days per year. Accrued but unused vacation shall be paid
in accordance with the City's Personnel Manual.
B. Employee shall accrue sick leave at the same rate as other employees of
the Employer. Upon regular separation, in accordance with the Personnel Manual,
Employee shall receive payment for one-third of his accumulated sick leave hours. In the
event of early separation initiated by the City Commission under Section 3 or 4 ofthis
agreement, Employee shall receive payment for two-thirds of his accumulated sick leave
hours.
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Section 8.
Life and Health Insurance.
A. Life Insurance. Employer agrees to provide the City's group term life
insurance policy to Employee upon the same basis as all other employees of the
Employer.
B. Health Insurance. During the period of employment, Employer agrees to
provide the City's group medical, dental and prescription drug benefit plan (the "Plan")
to Employee and his dependents and to pay the Employer portion of the premium for the
Plan in the same manner as other employees. Following retirement, in accordance with
K.S.A. 12-5040, Employee shall be eligible to continue participation in the Plan by
paying full monthly premiums in the same manner as other retired employees of the
Employer. In the event of early separation under Section 3 or 4 ofthis agreement,
Employee shall be considered a retirant under K.S.A. 12-5040 and shall be eligible for
continued participation in the Plan. In consideration of Employee's willingness to
provide consulting services on ongoing projects and programs, during any period
between early separation and the ending date ofthis agreement, Employer will waive all
premiums or payments for Employee and his dependants' coverage. During regular
retirement Employee shall pay all premiums as outlined above.
Section 9.
Retirement.
A. ICMA Retirement Corporation. Employer has adopted the ICMA
Retirement Corporation (ICMA-RC) Section 457 deferred compensation program and
allows Employee to participate fully in the program. In addition to Employee's base
salary, Employer shall provide a contribution to Employee's ICMA-RC Section 457
account in an amount which annualized shall equal $8,477. In the event of early
separation initiated under Section 3 or 4 of this agreement, payment of the remaining
amount due through December 2005 shall be made by the Employer during the last
month of employment. Completion of this Section 457 retirement contribution shall not
be considered a part of severance pay.
B. KPERS. Employer participates in the Kansas Public Employee's
Retirement System. Employer agrees to pay on behalf of Employee all KPERS
determined costs at the 1.75% benefit level, for purchases under the "modified double
deduction" method of Employee's eligible prior out-of-state service. Upon retirement or
other separation from City service, any KPERS required payments for remaining out-of-
state service credit shall be the responsibility of Employee.
Section 10. Development and Travel.
A. Employer agrees to payment for professional dues of Employee necessary
for his continued participation in national and state professional city management
associations for the good of Employee and Employer.
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B. Employer agrees to payment for travel expenses in accordance with City
policy for Employee official travel and meeting attendance to assure continual
professional development for the good of the Employer and Employee, and to adequately
pursue necessary official business and functions for the Employer. Out-of-state travel
shall be limited to the spring National League of Cities Congressional Conference and the
fall International City-County Management Conference, unless otherwise authorized by
the City Commission.
Section 11. General Expenses.
Employer recognizes that certain expenses of a non-personal and generally job-
affiliated nature are incurred by Employee, and agrees to reimburse or to pay such
general expenses. The Finance Director shall disburse such monies upon receipt of duly
executed expense or petty cash vouchers, receipts, statements or personal affidavits.
Section 12. Civic Club Membership.
Employer recognizes the desirability of representation in local civic organizations.
Employee is authorized membership in one such civic organization for which Employer
shall pay all expenses.
Section 13. Other Terms and Conditions of Employment.
A. The City Commission in consultation with the Employee, may fix such
other terms and conditions of employment, including performance, goals and
assignments, as it determines appropriate, provided such terms and conditions are not
inconsistent with or in conflict with the provisions of this agreement, the City Code or
any other law.
B. All provisions of the City Code, policies and regulations of the City of
Salina relating to vacation and sick leave, retirement and pension system contributions,
holidays and other employee benefits and working conditions as they now exist or
hereafter may be amended, also shall apply to Employee as they would to other
Employees of the Employer, in addition to the benefits enumerated herein; provided,
however, in the event of a conflict between those provisions and the express provisions of
this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
Section 14. Replacement of Current Employment Agreement.
This Agreement shall fully replace the Current Employment Agreement as of the
January 1, 2005 effective date of this Agreement.
Section 15. Binding Effect.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs,
beneficiaries, and personal representatives of the Employee.
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Executed the day and year first above written.
By:
LINA, KANSAS
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ATTEST:
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Lieu Ann Elsey, City Clerk
DENNIS M. KISSINGER
AL
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