Milan City Extends Manager’s Contract by Three-Years, Boosts Salary

When City Manager Jim Lancaster started in Milan, outsiders told him he wouldn’t stay more than two years. 

However, in May he completed his first three years and Monday Nov. 10 Lancaster accepted a new three year-contract with an annual salary of $135,000.

“Everyone told me that this was a stepping stone community,” Lancaster told The Sun Times News, explaining that he thinks as Milan grows its business base it is on the verge of becoming a destination community.

“Milan is a fun place to be because I get to be heavily involved in every aspect of the city,” Lancaster said. “In larger communities the city manager is simply the final decision maker before things are added to the agenda and voted on by council. Every day I am interacting with my staff and brainstorming on how to make things better.”

New contract

The City Council unanimously approved the new contract, along with a raise in salary to $135,000, with a $5,000 increase each year. Lancaster started at $95,000 and after three years his salary was at $105,000. His raise will be retroactive, starting July 1.

During the city council meeting, Kolar said the initial salary was very low for the position, but was put in place for the first three years while they tested Lancaster’s abilities as a new city manager.

Kolar said previously they had also considered paying $25,000-$30,000 a year to hire a grant writer.  Instead, he said Lancaster has been doing that in addition to his other job responsibilities. So, Kolar said even if they were not giving him a raise, but just compensation for his grant writing, Lancaster’s experience as a city manager, plus grant writer about equals the new salary.

Council Response

Council Member Matthew Stafford said if they’d hired a grant writer they would have spent at least $75,000 for the last three years.

“Jim’s been able to get us $7-plus million,” Stafford said.

Council Member Shannon Wayne praised Lancaster’s Department of Public Works experience. In addition to the city as a whole, he currently leads the public works department, and also helps fill the role of treasurer, which has been partially outsourced to Plante Moran.  

Some of the new salary will come for the water/sewer fund, Kolar said, since Lancaster is providing oversight of the $3.6 million dollar grant funds being used to upgrade the wastewater plant.

“No hesitation,” Council Member Mary Kerkes said when approving the new contract.

Council Member Christian Thompson said Lancaster “wears so many hats.”

“He’s done a wonderful job with whatever he tries to do,” Thompson said.

Experience

Lancaster came to Milan with experience as a Department of Public Works director in Flat Rock and Huron Township and an S1 water distribution license from when he worked in the Department of Public Works Department in Woodhaven. He has a MPA from Central Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. 

City Staff

Lancaster said Milan’s current council makes his success possible through their engagement. 

“The only way I can continue to give the Department Heads what they need to succeed is if city council continues to listen and engage with me,” he said, adding, “This city council trusts me to make decisions, but they are always engaged in the conversations and adding their questions and concerns when they have them. They are the ones that are out within the public on a regular basis hearing what their constituents like and dislike about the decisions being made.”

However, he especially credited his staff for the city’s success – ranging from department heads to crossing guards.

“When something doesn’t go as planned or an emergency happens, we have a line of people that are willing to step up and say how can I help?” Lancaster said.