A proposed

contract for Peachtree City Manager Jim Basinger will be considered by

the City Council at its meeting Thursday night.

The version

presented to council has the contract first expiring Dec. 31, 2002; it

will automatically renew for additional one-year periods unless the city

or Basinger gives notice otherwise prior to Sept. 30 of each year.

With that one

exception, the remaining portions of the contract "reflect the current

treatment Mr. Basinger receives from the city," City Attorney Rick

Lindsey said in a cover letter to council members.

Basinger has

served as the city manager since 1984.

The contract

is necessary due to a regulation in the newly adopted city charter requiring

the city manager to be hired under a contract with the city, Lindsey said.

Council will

still be permitted to terminate Basinger if it is ever deemed necessary,

but he is guaranteed three months' severance pay according to the contract.

The document spells out his monthly pay as $8,350, which equals $100,200

a year.

Council will

also consider adopting the a transportation plan for the Ga. Highway 54

West corridor which will link the growing West Village area to the city's

cart path system. The plan also calls for road improvements such as access

roads parallel to Hwy. 54 to the north and south of the highway.

The cart path

improvements include tunnels under the railroad bridge there which allows

for a cloverleaf cart path design to connect the path with commercial

developments on the other side of the railroad.

City officials

hope the plans will be accepted by the Atlanta Regional Commission, which

could help fund the transportation improvements though a multi-million

dollar grant program for Georgia cities. The grants are to focus on improving

alternative means of transportation.

The plan was

developed by city staff with input from a citizen's advisory board that

has met on the matter for the past few months.