Council gives city manager raise, time off

Dalondo Moultrie The Seguin Gazette

Seguin’s City Council reinforced its support for the city’s top administrator last week with a raise and added incentive for a job well done.

At council’s Feb. 1 meeting, members voted unanimously to give City Manager Steve Parker a 2.5% raise and praised his dedication and work above and beyond the call of duty, Mayor Donna Dodgen said.

“Steve Parker does an incredible job; we are blessed to have him,” she said. “In my opinion and in council’s opinion, Steve has taken us where we need to go with all of the changes and growth that’s occurring. He’s really taken us to the next level.”

City Council met in executive session after the meeting and then called Parker into chambers to discuss the evaluation with him, Dodgen said. Then the mayor and members of council reconvened the regular meeting and voted 7-0 approving the increase, she said.

The raise amounts to about a $3,500 increase, boosting his annual salary to about $255,000, Parker said.

“I really feel a little guilty because it’s a dream job of mine; I just love it here,” Parker said. “It feels like home. I felt like home since the day I got here. I know it sounds so cliche but I really try to engage the community as much as I can and I think they respect that.”

He has worked hard to help the city attract new businesses, expanded retail and other offerings that current residents crave and that will satiate the appetites of a fast growing populace, Parker said. It appears the hard work will continue to pay off as the city expects announcing in the next couple of months some regional companies preparing to set up shop in town, he said.

His job is to cheer lead for Seguin City Council and carry out its vision along with advocating for employees and helping them achieve their best, Parker said. His efficiency in doing so showed up in his evaluation.

“A lot of this review is based on the team as a whole, all my directors pulling together as a whole,” Parker said. “You’re only as good as your weakest link. I think we don’t have any here.”

His commitment shows in the extra hours he puts into being the face of the community, Dodgen said.

Parker spends time beyond regular business hours serving Seguin and showing up to community events, she said. He helps citizens solve problems and is approachable, the mayor said.

For those reasons, Council voted to offer Parker an additional benefit beyond the salary increase, Dodgen said.

“We rewarded him with 20 hours of personal time (this year) because we really feel like all of the time he does during non-regular hours, he is there,” she said. “He’s there, he’s a presence. He’s seen and we really wanted to reward that.”

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