The employment contract for County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson was unanimously extended Thursday, but county commissioners split in favor of her pay and bonus.
After a 40-minute executive session, commissioners voted 4-3 to give Postoak Ferguson a 3% merit increase, bringing her base salary from $323,670 to $333,380. She will also receive an additional $5,000 performance bonus. The new terms become effective at the first pay period of 2024.
The contract is extended for two years until Oct. 15, 2025, with option for renewals in successive years.
Her new salary will come on top of a June increase of 18.9%, based on her pay grade. That increase was part of an effort to bring county salaries more in line with the market, according to a response from the county communications staff.
Postoak Ferguson’s pay became an issue to some commissioners during discussions about a larger adjustment to pay tables for county employees. For example, Commissioner Becky Fast voiced concerns about the size of pay increases for top tier administrators including Postoak Ferguson.
AG is probing county for discussing pay in closed meeting
County manager pay was also mentioned in an open meetings complaint filed with the Kansas Attorney General’s office by Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara, who alleged that the commission violated open meetings law on June 29 by discussing general pay scale adjustments in a closed session shortly before their vote on the new pay scale. O’Hara said a policy discussion that omitted specific employee performance, for example, should have been in open session.
The commission has since replied that the executive session was appropriate. The Attorney General’s office is weighing the matter.
O’Hara’s complaint also questioned whether Postoak Ferguson should have attended the June 29 meeting. However, that part of her complaint was dismissed by the attorney general’s office.
Shortly before the commission broke for its Thursday, Sept. 14, executive session, Chairman Mike Kelly announced that Postoak Ferguson would be attending that one as well.
Coming out of executive session last week, the commission took its votes on the 3% increase with no discussion. All members voted to extend Postoak Ferguson’s contract, but Fast, O’Hara and Commissioner Michael Ashcraft voted against the specifics on the pay.
The Post reached out to all three. O’Hara cited the earlier pay increase and a lack of equality in the pay increases of top tier officials and those at the bottom.
“I felt it was an absolute insult to other county employees that she would get another 3% plus a $5,000 bonus,” O’Hara said.
Ashcraft declined to comment because it was a personnel issue discussed in executive session. Fast did not respond.
Roxie Hammill is a freelance journalist who reports frequently for the Post and other Kansas City area publications. You can reach her at roxieham@gmail.com.
