DOTHAN: Dothan Mayor and Associate Commissioners have called a special Dothan Commission Meeting for Wednesday. The agenda item is renewal of Dothan City Manager Randy Morris contract.
Atfer serving almost two years as Dothan City Manager, the contract for Randy Morris states the contract is to be addressed six months before expiration. And the six months date is September, 2026. Should the commission fail to renew the contract, Randy Morris would continue to be City Manager for six months.
Mayor Saliba and the Associate Commissioner appear to have agreed on a contract. Morris will continue at the beginning salary of $ 225,000.00, which is the same salary Morris was hired at in the beginning. Morris will receive up to a 3% performance bonus each year, decided by the Mayor with input from the Associate Commissioners. Morris will recieve the same cost of living increases that all employees of the City of Dothan receive. Morris is currently receving a vehicle allowance for furninshing his own vehicle and that will continue at the current rate.
There is no salary increase from what Morris salary was when hired.
This is below where the discussions began. The first proposed salary would have bumped Morris to $ 247,500.00 per year, with increases each year following. And it appears the majority of the commission refused that increase. After negotiations, there was no increase in salary. The performance bonuses of up to 3% appears not to compound salary increases. Meaning, the 3%, as it appears in the contract published, will be based on base salary of $ 225,000.00. However, the cost of living increases to all employees will bump to base salary up and increase what the 3% is figured on.
To make sure I am explaining it, if all Dothan employees are given a 2% cost of living increase, that would increase Morris base salary by $ 4,500.00 a year. The following year a 2% cost of living is given to all employees of the City of Dothan, will increase Morris base salary to $ 229,500.00 per year. Therefore the next cost of living increase will be based on $ 229,500.00.
In the political arena, minds can change by the second. But it appears the contract will be approved. Four of the Commission is what it takes to approve anything.
The City of Dothan daily operation and management decisions are made by the City Manager. The Mayor is considered a part time job and pays $ 42,000.00 per year with no retirement benefits. In fact, Mark Saliba is the first Mayor in the history of the City of Dothan to be elected to a third term in office. But the Mayor nor the Dothan Commissions can get into the day to day management of the workforce of the City of Dothan. If following the law, the Mayor or Dothan Commissioners can not meet with members of the City of Dothan workforce unless the City Manager approves such meeting. Therefore the City Manager yields a lot of power.
The City Manager of Dothan can spend up to $ 30,000.00 without getting approval from the Mayor and Associate Commissioners. And the City Manager can spend the $ 30,000.00 an unlimited amount of times per day. Just per item can not exceed $ 30,000.00.
