Plain City Village Administrator Kevin Vaughn took an opportunity Monday to thank the village council and residents.
Monday was the last meeting for Vaughn, who last week tendered his resignation to take a position in Clinton Township. Vaughn was hired five years ago when former Village Administrator Steve Hilbert took a position in the private sector. At the time, Vaughn was serving as a village council member and working for the City of Dublin in the parks and recreation department.
“It has been a great pleasure working with all of you and especially the community,” Vaughn said. “I am beyond grateful.”
Council has agreed to let July 6 be the last day for Vaughn, who begins his new job July 9.
Village solicitor Paul Lafayette said there are “a number of issues I am circling back with Kevin on.”
He said the primary issue is the water sewer agreement with the City of Columbus.
John Rucker, who heads the village Capital Improvement Plan Committee, said the group met and agreed to put many projects “on the back burner” until a village administrator is hired. He said once that position is filled, the group needs to revisit its list of projects and priorities.
“Some of them have kind of fallen off the side and we need to reassess where we are on these things,” Rucker said.
Resident and local businessman Jason Shumway said the village will continue to lose “top-end talent” until it begins to pay for it. He said Vaughn, who was paid $84,574 with an additional $4,800 car allowance and $40 monthly for cellphone in 2017, is leaving for more money. He said a local person might be able to overlook a small raise to move, but cannot turn down the type of salary increase other municipalities offer.
“What’s the plan to keep that talent in the village?” Shumway asked.
He added he doesn’t want Plain City “to turn into a laughing stock,” and “it’s turning that way now.”
Shumway said pay for village employees is “disgraceful.” He said many competent people deserve six figure salaries, noting he recognizes it can be difficult for council members to wrap their heads around paying employees that kind of money. Shumway, who has repeatedly said he plans to invest in more Uptown buildings, threatened to pull development dollars out of the village unless he can see a plan to retain employees.
“Compensating our employees and our top employees needs to be a priority and until it is, I will not have another dollar in this village,” Shumway said, adding that he is not the only business owner who feels that way.
As the meeting closed, council held a series of executive sessions to discuss a variety of personnel and economic development issues. Council initially met privately, then interviewed David Kell, who currently serves as economic development director for Madison County. Later in the executive session, council met with representatives from Management Partners, a professional management consulting firm specializing in local government.
Council members have said they want to explore the option of hiring an economic development director for the village. Vaughn suggested using Management Partners to help manage the village until a new administrator is hired. He said the firm would also be able to help with the hiring process.