New St. Marys city manager to negotiate various contracts

July 23--ST. MARYS -- New St. Marys City Manager John Holman's negotiating skills will soon be tested.City council members gave Holman, who was been on the job less than a month, the task Monday to negotiate new contracts, each with only one bidder.

Holman said he hopes to reach an agreement with St. Marys Municipal Court Judge Kathe Loeffler, who was the only person to bid on the position she has held the past eight years.

Council members made it clear Holman needs to stay within the municipal court's budget when he negotiates a salary with Loeffler. Holman said he has a reasonable number he plans to offer Loeffler to continue serving in the position.

He said he hopes to ask council members to approve the new contract for the judge by the Aug. 18 meeting.

Holman will also enter into negotiations with the only bidder to lease a city-owned building at Howard Gilman Memorial Park downtown. The lease created much discussion in recent council meetings after owners of the business Knuckleheads questioned why their contract could not be renewed and why they would have to compete with other businesses to lease the building for one year.

Many local supporters spoke on behalf of the business, saying it has been the most successful concession to operate from the location.

At a meeting earlier this month, Jerre Brumbelow said he lived up to the contract and questioned why city officials wanted to seek bids from other vendors. City officials said they changed wording in the lease, which is why they wanted to allow other businesses to bid on the site.

Council members voted to extend Brumbelow's contract an additional month, which will give Holman time to negotiate a new contract.

Councilman Jim Gant urged Holman to be succinct when he writes the agreements.

"The language needs to be tight in both contracts," he said.

On an unrelated matter, council members were told debris from an arson fire that razed a closed bowling alley cannot be removed until fire insurance officials release the site. It's unclear how much longer it will take, but city officials said they want the site on Ga. 40 cleared as soon as possible.

-- Reporter Gordon Jackson writes about Camden County and other local topics. Contact him at [email protected], on Facebook or at 464-7655.

___

(c)2014 The Brunswick News (Brunswick, Ga.)

Visit The Brunswick News (Brunswick, Ga.) at www.thebrunswicknews.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services