Sunbury council tables interim code supervisor contract and discusses grant-writer pay

The Sunbury City Council debated but did not approve a proposed interim contract that would engage Jackie Hart, through NAIC, as interim supervisor of the code office at a proposed rate of $1,000 per week.

Mayor (speaker 2) described the arrangement as month-to-month while the city seeks a permanent in-house hire and said the contract language was being prepared and circulated. Some council members said they were uncomfortable approving any contract they had not seen in writing and asked for the contract to be distributed for review before a vote. Concerns included whether the contract hours would be 40 per week or "as needed," whether Hart would receive dual compensation (NAIC payments plus city compensation), and how insurance and benefits would be handled. A NAIC representative present explained NAIC provides insurance, vehicle and other coverage; the $1,000 weekly amount would be paid to NAIC and staff would perform work for the city under that arrangement.

Separately, council considered a recurring $5,000 annual stipend to compensate Steve Walker for grant-writing duties. Staff said Walker is taking over several larger grants and may require significant on-site time for some projects, including work on a proposed $3.2 million USDA application. Council members discussed whether other employees who perform some grant work (e.g., Renee) should also be considered for compensation and how the payroll system would handle temporary pay increases tied to grant duties. The council approved the $5,000 annual stipend for the grant-writing position by roll call.

The Jackie Hart interim supervisor contract was tabled so members could review the written agreement; the council did not finalize terms during the meeting and directed staff to circulate the contract for review.