Cary inks new contract with village administrator
The Cary village board has awarded a new, four-year contract to village administrator Chris Clark, one that gives him a 3 percent pay bump and a $25 increase in his monthly car allowance.
Clark will now earn $132,613 a year and receive a $425 monthly car allowance, officials said.
The board approved the new deal earlier this week after going over Clark’s performance review with him in closed session, Trustee Bruce Kaplan said. The vote to extend his contract was unanimous, Village President Mark Kownick said.
While some may criticize the board for Clark’s salary, Kownick said the money is just right for what Clark delivers.
“Communities our size and the professionalism that I want and the professionalism that the village needs, you need to have somebody in that role and you have to be able to pay them for that,” Kownick said.
Kaplan is also satisfied with Clark’s performance.
“He has done a good job for us. He’s helped us move forward and he’s looking out for our well-being and the taxpayers’ money. He works very, very hard and these are all good things you don’t see in every employee,” Kaplan said. “We thought he was a keeper and that continues to be our feeling about it.”
The board hired Clark in October 2011, six months after the previous board of trustees fired longtime Village Administrator Cameron Davis. Davis’ annual salary was $134,139, and he is now the village manager of Homer Glen.
Kownick said he was most impressed with Clark’s ability to quickly negotiate new contracts for the police and public works unions. In the past, he said, those negotiations have been quite contentions and dragged on. Clark also helped the village securing a new garbage collection provider and ensured a new transition between village presidents — Kownick was just elected in April to succeed Tom Kierna.
“(Clark) consistently checks things off and it’s to the betterment of our community,” Kownick said. “He grabs the bull by the horns, he’s really got a firm grip of what the village of Cary needs.”
Clark could not be reached for comment Friday.