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Northeast Texas Farmers' Co-Op general manager Brad Johnson addresses city council during public comments
Facing dismissal a month ago, city manager Marc Maxwell will now be offered a five-year contract
The city council has voted to extend city manager Marc Maxwell a five-year contract pending final details and Maxwell’s acceptance, as of a vote Tuesday night.
As part of December’s regularly-scheduled city council meeting, an agenda item regarding personnel matters vis-a-vis Maxwell went into executive session, and had no action taken.
During the regular January meeting tonight, the council returned to the item, and went into executive session from 7:29 p.m. to 7:56 p.m. to discuss Maxwell’s employment.
After emerging from executive session, council members heard members of the public’s opinion about the city manager’s job security.
Citizens Dr. Robert Lenington, Clay Walker, Tim Kelty, Brad Johnson, David Niergarth and John Heilman all spoke in favor of extending a contract to Maxwell. No citizens spoke against employing Maxwell.
Johnson, speaking on behalf of himself as well as the Northeast Texas Farmers’ Co-Op, urged the council to give Maxwell “a good long contract.”
Lenington urged the council to put aside any personal differences they might have with Maxwell and continue his employment.
“We need to continue to look at each other eye-to-eye and just talk,” Johnson echoed.
“We’ve had a lot of things happen and I feel that city council right now is at a choice” Lenington said. “Nobody changes the CEO of a company that is doing well.”
Kelty also said he saw Maxwell much like a CEO, “And all the CEOs I know of have contracts,” he said.
Both Lenington and Walker stated they “have not agreed with everything Marc Maxwell has done,” but Lenington noted, “he is a good man who… represents this community well.”
“He is the exact person we need at this time,” Lenington said.
Council member Doug Moore motioned to offer Maxwell a contract, and Council member Harold Nash seconded the motion. Mayor John Sellers specified that such a contract would be for a five-year term with a one-year buyout plan and an annual performance review.
The council approved the measure unanimously.
Maxwell said he has not seen any contracts yet, but that he is amenable to agreeing to the terms.
“This is the first time I’ve heard about five years, but that sounds really good,” Maxwell said.
Sellers similarly said he feels “very good” about the executive session and its outcome.
Some contend that Maxwell should not keep his position, with citizen Robert Bowen calling for the city manager to be “investigated by outside sources."