The Pagosa Springs Town Council will be considering a contract with a new Town Manager — David Harris — at a special meeting tonight, Thursday, October 26 at 5pm.
Mr. Harris has served in several municipal jobs in central Texas since 1996, including as an assistant city manager for Schertz, city administrator of Hill Country Village, interim director of Community Development Services in Alamo Heights, and city administrator in Balcones Heights. He has a bachelor’s degree from Whitworth College and a master’s in urban administration from Trinity University.
The Council may choose to meet tonight in a closed-door Executive Session, if a majority of the Council feels the need for additional negotiations.
The 9-page proposed agreement (which you can download here) sets the base salary at $154,000 a year, with salary increases allowed annually. The agreement also allows for $12,000 in “relocation expenses” and a “Temporary Housing Allowance.”
The prior Town Manager, Andrea Phillips, resigned last summer, effective August 4, and former Town Manager Greg Schulte was selected to serve as Interim Town Manager until a permanent replacement could be found. Mr. Schulte began is Interim on August 1.
A nationwide recruitment was conducted and 27 applications were received for the vacant position. Of the 27 applicants, 5 were selected for the first round of interviews. Of the five interviewees, two were designated as finalists: Mr. Harris, and Dawn Collins. On October 3, 2023 the Town Council interviewed both finalists and agreed to enter into contract negotiations with Mr. Harris.
An agreement was negotiated and has been presented to the Council for consideration at tonight’s meeting.
From the special meeting agenda packet:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Town Council may consider the following actions:
1. Move to approve authorizing the Mayor to sign the Town Manager Agreement with David Harris
2. Move to deny the proposed Employment Agreement with David Harris and direct the negotiating team to revise the Employment Agreement consistent with direction given to them by the full Town Council in Executive Session under the privilege of “Instructing Negotiators.”
3. Move to deny approval of the Employment Agreement with David Harris and direct staff.
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can’t seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.