City Council redefines CEO hiring authority for DCOA

Feb. 14--A contract between the city of Abilene and the Development Corporation of Abilene was amended Thursday by the Abilene City Council, including redefining the responsibility of hiring and termination of the corporation's chief executive officer.

"One of the things we have discussed with the DCOA board is eliminating the assistant city manager responsibilities for the position," City Manager Larry Gilley said, "and allowing that board to make decisions for the position in terms of hiring and compensation and things of that nature."

Richard Burdine has been DCOA chief executive and assistant city manager for economic development for 10 years. He will retire Feb. 28. The board recently hired him on an interim basis -- the contract is for three months beginning March 1 with an option to extend on a month-to-month basis -- at $15,293 per month. Compensation will remain the same if the contract is extended.

Burdine will also receive pay for any unused sick or vacation time accrued during the initial term of the contract

The amendment approved by City Council on Thursday made the hiring, supervision, performance evaluation and termination of the position "the sole responsibility of the DCOA board," except otherwise delegated by the city.

Gilley said the city used to be responsible for hiring the DCOA chief position.

Both the city and the DCOA board have disciplinary action, including termination:

The city from cases arising from a violation of the city's policies and procedures manual unrelated to work product, and

The DCOA board for work-related work issues.

The city manager and the DCOA board president must notify each other before initiating their respective disciplinary actions.

"The position will still be a city employee, and that employee will be subject to all the personnel rules and regulations of the city," Gilley said. "The employee will also be subject to our retirement program and those types of things. Primarily, this is just transferring the oversight for that position to the DCOA board."

The cost incurred by the city for benefits and salary of the CEO will be reimbursed by the DCOA, which administers the city's half-cent sales tax.

The City Council also renewed the business services contract with the DCOA for fiscal year 2014 with the corporation paying:

$646,607 for administrative expenses including staff salaries

$189,070 for maintenance of DCOA-owned properties

$119,736 for property damage insurance premiums for covering DCOA-owned properties under the city's insurance plan

$579,930 for maintenance of Abilene Laboratories, parking lot at 1342 Walnut St., a laboratory at 842 Pine St., and property at 922 N. 13th St.

also appointed Abilene attorney John Beckham to the board of the DCOA. He replaces Paul Cannon, whose term on the board expired in November.

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