During its November 16 meeting, the Keizer City Council is set to consider amendments to the official job descriptions for the city’s chief executive officer, City Manager Adam Brown, and the city’s legal officer, City Attorney Joseph Lindsay. The changes are intended to better align the roles with the city charter, the employment contract, and the council’s performance‑evaluation goals.
Background and work‑group recommendations
In June, council members formed a work group to examine how the council evaluates the city manager and attorney. The group, which includes Council Chair Lore Christopher, Councilor Kyle Juran, and Council President Shaney Starr, consulted with human‑resources firm HR Answers. Laurie Grenya, president of the firm, helped draft proposed revisions that clarify governing authority, leadership responsibilities, financial stewardship, and partnership expectations for the city manager, as well as legal‑advice duties and supervisory expectations for the city attorney.
Proposed description updates
The draft for the city manager’s description adds language about setting annual goals that reflect the charter and council priorities, conducting quarterly check‑ins to track progress, and collaborating with councilors and the community. For the city attorney, the revision emphasizes the role as the council’s legal officer, outlines the scope of legal advice and services, and details supervisory duties over legal staff.
New evaluation process
Alongside the description changes, the council is looking to formalize a new evaluation system. Under the proposal, each councilor would complete an individual review of the manager and attorney, rating them on criteria such as professionalism, communication, and relationship with the council. The results would be compiled into a summary document for public release at a council meeting.
The council also plans to hire HR Answers as an external consultant to conduct the annual evaluations. The contract would pay $235 per hour for up to 50 hours, for a maximum annual cost of $11,750. Using an outside firm is intended to avoid any perceived conflict of interest that might arise from using internal HR staff, who report to the city manager.
Council discussion and next steps
Chair Christopher described the shift from a single, uniform council evaluation to seven individual assessments, arguing that the new method provides more detailed feedback. The council will vote on the contract amendment for HR Answers and the revised job descriptions during the Monday session. If approved, the updated descriptions and evaluation framework will take effect for the next performance‑review cycle.
Current city manager Adam Brown and city attorney Joseph Lindsay have not publicly commented on the proposed changes, but the council’s effort reflects a broader push for transparency and accountability in municipal operations.
Original reporting: Salem Reporter — read the source article.
