Newton Falls council OKs contract for city manager

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

NEWTON FALLS — City council unanimously approved a new contract with city manager Jack Haney.

The three-year contract approved Monday includes a salary of $92,000 with a 5 percent raise every year. It also includes medical coverage and four weeks’ vacation per year.

“We are very fortunate and blessed to have Haney work for Newton Falls,” said Councilman Ralph Gillespie.

Last month, Haney was appointed to the advisory board of the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments.

Councilman Thomas Moorehead said Haney’s appointment to the board is a big advantage for Newton Falls because Eastgate oversees numerous grants for various purposes.

“Its very important the community knows we have someone with knowledge of both the city and Eastgate working on our side,” said Moorehead.

Newton Falls resident Greg Federof wasn’t pleased about the pay rate for Haney. He said a town of approximately 5,000 people doesn’t need to be paying that much for a city manager.

Federof also criticized city leaders, saying the entire economy is cutting back and the city should do the same.

“Everywhere you look, people are cutting back, businesses are cutting back, government is cutting back, but not Newton Falls,” Federof said.

Another resident, Frank Crimlich, urged council to change the contract length to one year and then re-evaluate where the city is financially next year.

“This is a bleak economy right now. How is the city going to cover this with all the layoffs in the area and the shortfall of money in the budget that could come with it?” Crimlich said.

Before the voting, Mayor Pat Layshock said he did not support a three-year contract because he said Haney failed to address financial, infrastructure and road concerns of the city and did not do enough to stimulate local economy.

Gillespie interrupted Layshock saying he should have been present at Haney’s evaluation in June and that now was not the appropriate time for an evaluation.