Killeen council members expected to approve 12% raise for city manager

Kent Cagle

Killeen City Council members on Tuesday are expected to approve a $26,129 pay raise for City Manager Kent Cagle following a performance evaluation in December.

“The city manager’s job performance exceeded expectations,” Mayor Debbie Nash-King told the Herald last month. “Council members were all in favor” of retaining Cagle.

His salary is $223,650. The 12% increase, if approved as part of the consent agenda, would bring Cagle’s annual salary to nearly $250,000.

According to the Texas City Management Association and govsalaries.com, Cagle’s current salary ranks well below that of city managers in cities comparable by population.

For example, in Temple (population 80,761), the city manager’s salary is $285,002. In Waco (139,594), it’s $272,108. In Round Rock (137,575), the city manager’s salary is $272,000. The city manager’s salary in Abilene (124,407) is $264,139; it’s $245,000 in Mesquite (144,788) and $90,236 in Pasadena (148,215).

The population in Killeen is about 153,991.

Scoring sheets used in Cagle’s evaluation provide insight into how highly council members view the top administrator’s performance over the last year. The Herald obtained the documents through a Texas Public Information Act request, including scoring sheets for each council member.

“This evaluation form consists of (several) categories totaling 25 questions related to the city manager’s performance,” according to the evaluation. “Each question should receive a numerical score from 1 to 5, with a 1 being ‘needs improvements,’ 3 being ‘average’ and a 5 being ‘exceeds expectation.’”

The categories are: Relationship with mayor and city council; relationship with employees; financial management; organization management program development and follow-through; and public and intergovernmental relations.

The combined scores from 20 and 25 are considered “exceeds expectations,” those from 19 to 14 are “average” and scores below 14 signify that the city manager’s job performance “needs improvement.”

Cagle did not score below 20 on any category.

In Cagle’s performance evaluation in 2021, Cagle scored an “excellent” rating on half of the 10 criteria council members used in their review.

As city manager, he controls the day-to-day operations of the municipal government. He was hired on Nov. 19, 2019, in a 6-0 vote when Segarra was mayor.

With 35 years of experience in government, Cagle has spent 21 of them in municipal management, including most recently in Leander. He was hired in Killeen at an annual salary of $210,000 and received a 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment in 2020-21 and a 3% COLA in 2019-20, bringing his current salary to $223,650.

Cagle’s 2021 performance was reviewed using “excellent,” “average” and “poor” ratings. He was rated “excellent” on individual characteristics; professional skills and status; citizen relations; staffing; and fiscal management. Cagle was rated “average” on relations with elected members of the governing body; policy execution; reporting; supervision; and community.

He did not receive any “poor” ratings on last year’s evaluation.

In Killeen, Cagle oversees about 1,300 employees and a $265 million budget. His contract allows him and the city to terminate the agreement mutually and in writing and for the city to unilaterally end his employment “with or without good cause.”

In that instance, an employment separation requested by the city must be done with a 30-day written notice, according to the contract, and entitles Cagle to a severance agreement that includes payment equal to his annual salary and accrued but unused vacation and sick and personal leave days.

Also included on the consent agenda are resolutions for:

The purchase of consumable medical supplies for the Killeen Fire Department for $399,179.

A professional services agreement with Freese and Nichols for the design of the Lift Station No. 6 rehabilitation and expansion project for $624,677.

Rejecting bids for uniform cleaning services.

A grant agreement with the Texas governor’s office for replacing rifle-resistant body armor for sworn Killeen police officers and modifying the maximum annual expenditure with GT Distributors for $584,565.

Accepting the Victims of Crime Act Crisis Assistance Program grant through the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division.

A professional services agreement with Freese and Nichols for the design of the Transfer Station tunnel repairs project for $141,243.

An amendment to the professional service agreement with K. Friese and Associates for the final design of the Watercrest and Willow Springs reconstruction project for $77,273.68.

Amending the North Killeen Revitalization Program to waive parkland dedication and development fees and traffic impact analysis worksheet fees for eligible projects in the North Killeen Revitalization Area.

The conveyance of properties at 414 N. Gray St. and 511 N. Gray St. by donation deed to Bell County.

Resolution approving the appointment of an executive director of finance.

Resolution appointing Councilman Jose Segarra to the Central Texas Council of Governments Executive Committee.

Resolution conducting an election with Killeen ISD and Central Texas College.

An ordinance ordering a general election for May 6 to elect council members for each district.

Authorizing an amendment to the professional service agreement with Kimley-Horn for the final design of the Bunny Trail reconstruction project for $1,074,914.51.

Consider an ordinance amendment to establish parkland dedication and development requirements and establishing fees in lieu.

Consider an ordinance amendment to the fiscal year 2023 annual budget to adjust revenue and expenditure accounts in the general fund.

The meeting on Tuesday is scheduled for 5 p.m. at City Hall, 101 N. College St.