Morgan City locks in city manager and employee pay scale

Morgan City has renewed its contract with City Manager Ty Bailey who will now receive a $145,000/year salary effective July 1, according to contract documents. The pay range for the position will now be $108,000 to $156,600. Bailey will also be eligible for the same cost of living increases and market adjustments received by all city employees.

The new contract increases the amount of severance pay that Bailey would receive if the city council decides not to renew this contract. Over the course of the contract that severance would increase from the equivalent of six months’ salary to 12 months’ salary.

“It’s for if you decide to just not renew my contract or get rid of me,” Bailey told the city council. “So, it’s a protection to me, but it’s also a commitment that if I went elsewhere I’d be losing that protection that I’ve gained over time.”

The city council may give Bailey a performance bonus up until this contract goes into effect. After that, he will no longer be eligible for such bonuses.

“Thank you, Ty; we appreciate you,” Councilmember Eric Turner told Bailey after the council voted unanimously March 28 to approve the new contract. 

Bailey was appointed as Morgan City's first city manager in 2017.  He previously worked for Monticello City as city manager and as a bureau chief for the Utah Division of Emergency Management.  His new contract is in effect until June 30, 2025 and will be automatically be renewed for continuing, additional two-year terms unless Bailey’s employment is terminated.

At the same meeting, the city council approved a new compensation schedule for city employees. (See attached diagram). The new scale increases the pay range for city employees and adds four additional steps towards achieving the higher-end pay (it was previously 12).

“That adjustment means that if you start on step on, it takes 30 years to get to the high end of your pay scale,” Bailey said. Steps “moves people along for the time so it’s basically a timing grade, recognizing experience.”

A few positions — office specialist, office assistant and office tech — had the low end of their salary range reduced to bring those positions into line with market rates. This will not affect current employees, Bailey said.

“Where the ranges were, those were already above market,” he said. What that basically means is … those who are straight out of high school with no work history or anything else. It is a decrease from what we used to [offer] but their earning potential in other positions have a higher range. So they’re not locked into a lower [rate].”

Planning commissioners will receive $45 per meeting to be paid annually.

Morgan City does not have multiple employees in all categories, Bailey said. Some new categories of employees (highlighted in red in the accompanying diagram) were created for future growth. Those positions are not currently being filled. The new pay scale does not include seasonal workers such as crossing guards and building cleaners.

Planning commissioners will receive $45 per meeting to be paid annually.

At the same meeting the council approved Staker Parson’s bid of $104,600.53 for the 2023 street maintenance project which includes chip sealing for Highland Road, Meadow Creek Way, Imperial Drive, Rose Drive and 100 North. 

“We haven’t done one for a couple of years because of our other road projects, sidewalk projects and other improvements,” Bailey told the council. “We’re trying to get back into preserving some of our roads.” λ