Bullock’s contract extended

Town Manager Dave Bullock

Longboat Key Town Commissioners agreed to extend Town Manager Dave Bullock’s contract by up to six years with a 90-day out clause for either party and a severance of 20 weeks pay if a separation is made in good standing by the Town.

The Commission, in an effort to show its support of Bullock and add continuity to the position, instructed Town Attorney Dave Persson to extend his existing contract, which expires at the end of October 2012 to a three-year contract with an option for another three-years.

The new terms hold his salary at its current rate of  $180,000 per year plus benefits and a 17.8% of salary contribution to a deferred compensation account. The renewal automatically goes into effect after the first three years if nobody acts to end the relationship.

Heading into the meeting, Town Attorney Dave Persson had worked with Bullock and reached a contract Bullock said was satisfactory that was a three-year contract with two one-year renewal clauses. That contract was more generous to the Town, in that if it wished to separate from Bullock at the end of any of those one-year periods, it would not have to pay the 20-weeks severance.

Larson argued, and the Commission agreed, to give Bullock the three-year renewal, which will force the Town to pay severance if at any time in the next six years it wishes to part with Bullock other than at the three-year window. Commissioner Jack Duncan asked the Town Manager if he was ok with the length of the contract and without any pay increase included.

Bullock said, “I am not a young guy anymore. At some point I will want to do something else. I view it as my responsibility to leave this place where  an experienced successor person can take this over. I want to give you adequate notice so it is as smooth and reasonable as possible.”

The town can terminate Bullock at any time and pay 20 weeks of salary and severance.