Recently retired Fayetteville City Manager Joe Morton will be following in the footsteps of several other city administrative staff and will be returning to work on a part-time basis beginning Dec. 1.
Morton retired at the end of October and was one of 18 longtime city staff members taking early retirement as part of the city’s cost-cutting early retirement program. Morton’s employment agreement is expected to be voted on at the Nov. 15 City Council meeting.
The agreement to return to work part-time is based on the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) model employment agreement, according to city Director of Finance and Administrative Services and acting City Manager Lynn Robinson. The agreement has been utilized by the city to bring back several key administrative staff whose positions would have been expensive to fill.
The agreement will have Morton working a maximum of 29.5 hours per week. Morton will be paid at his former rate that equals $55 per hour. As with other part-time employees working more than 24 hours per week, Morton will be eligible for health and life insurance benefits and will be responsible for 25 percent of the single coverage premium. And as with other part-time employees, Morton will not be eligible for annual, sick or holiday leave.
Robinson is serving as acting city manager during November.
The City Council earlier this year approved a cost-cutting early retirement program that will result in savings to the city totaling approximately $300,000 in 2013, Clifton said.
