Auburn council to vote on amending Haines' contract as city manager

AUBURN — An added retirement provision and increased health insurance contributions are among the changes to Auburn City Manager Jenny Haines' contract that will be voted on by the City Council this week.

The Citizen's review of Haines' contract and the amended version found two noticeable changes. One of the amendments is the addition of a new section titled, "Termination by retirement." The language states that if Haines ends her employment by retiring, she will follow the city's senior management personnel policy.

"Upon retirement, Haines may utilize unused sick leave time as payment toward future health insurance premiums as follows: Sick leave will be credited toward an employee's future health insurance premium costs at a dollar value equivalent to one accrual leave day to one paid work day," the section reads.

If Haines chooses to retire at the end of her contract or before it expires, she agrees to provide 45 days' notice to the city.

The other change affects Haines' contributions for health, dental and vision insurance. She will now pay 21.7% of her health, dental and vision insurance after the completion of a 60-day notification, up from 20% in her current contract. The rates will increase to 23.4% on July 1, 2027, and 25% on July 1, 2028.

Haines won't be the only member of the city's management affected by that change. The City Council will also vote on an updated senior management personnel policy that includes changes to the employees' share of health insurance premiums. Like Haines, members of senior management will now pay 21.7% of their health insurance premiums. Their share will increase to 23.4% on July 1, 2027, and 25% on July 1, 2028.

In October 2024, the City Council appointed Haines to succeed retiring Auburn City Manager Jeff Dygert. She became the assistant city manager in the final months of Dygert's tenure, then took over as city manager in May 2025. She was officially sworn in in June 2025. Her contract as city manager runs through June 2028.

Since the city established the city manager position in the 1920s, Haines is the first woman to serve in that role.

After interning with the city in 1992, Haines began her 33-year career with the city as a secretary in the Department of Planning and Economic Development. She later became a planning assistant, community development planner, senior planner and the planning and economic development manager.

Half of her time as a city employee was spent leading the Department of Planning and Economic Development. She was appointed director in 2007 and led the department for 17 years until she was designated as the city manager-in-waiting.

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