Members of the Hamilton City Council convened for a special meeting last Thursday, March 22 to afford for applicant interviews for the vacant City Superintendent position.
Before adjourning their meeting last week, city officials took a 15-minute executive session-with one extension, for applicant review-and two additional sessions, each for discussion of Kansas Public Employees Retire (KPERS), for five and ten minutes respectively. Following the return to open meeting, members of the council voted to hire Randy Knight as City Superintendent, with an anticipated start date of April 8. A 90-day evaluation will be held. Knight’s starting wage was approved at $17 an hour.
Prior to conducting two applicant interviews last Thursday evening, one in person and one via Zoom, council members discussed the potential for adding KPERS as a benefit for staff.
Treasurer Cindy Hardin was present to provide information on KPERS. She shared that the city would have to join Jan. 1, 2025. If they were to become members, any qualifying employee, staff working a minimum of 1,000 hours, would receive the benefit.
Hardin told council members that once a government entity joins KPERS, they are in it permanently.
As the item was presented, members of the council noted that this may come with some expense to the city, but the added benefit could bring interest to apply, should the position be vacant in the future. It was also stated that this would be a more cost-effective way to offer a benefit for employees/ incoming employees. KPERS would cost roughly 9.26% of the given hourly wage paid by the city. According to Hardin, the state can adjust this, but it typically doesn’t go over this range. As council members considered the potential benefit, it was shared that this would be roughly $4,000 a year to offer KPERS. This would be paid monthly each payroll.
In the final action of the evening, city officials approved offering KPERS beginning Jan. 1, 2025. Because Knight has been enrolled in KPERS and the city is not a current member, a buyback will be necessary for the remaining months of 2024 as he begins his employment in Hamilton. The city plans to cover the cost associated with this buyback at the conclusion of 2024.
Councilman Joe Beeman attended via phone conference.
The next meeting of the Hamilton City Council will be held on Tuesday, April 9.
