The City Commission met Wednesday afternoon to conduct their annual evaluation of City Manager Greg Doyon.

The commission met with Doyon in executive session for about two hours and when they came back into the public meeting, voted 5-0 to increase his compensation by four percent of the base salary, retroactive to March.

Doyon’s base salary is $149,348 and the increase is about $5,973.

There was no change to his vacation or benefits package.

During the meeting, Mayor Bob Kelly said he was “happy to report that we’re going to keep Greg around.”

Commission gives Doyon favorable review, approves salary increase

Kelly said that Doyon has a unique position in being employed by five people who communicate in different ways and have differing opinions.

“Greg does an excellent job” of absorbing their thoughts and also encouraged the commission to work more collectively as a unit to bring concerns to him so they could be appropriately addressed, Kelly said.

The city operates under a commission-manager form of government. Every 10 years, the voters are asked if they want to study/change their form of government. The question was last on the ballot in 2014 and voters rejected the study, keeping the form of government in place.

The city manager serves as the chief executive officer of the city and is responsible for the management of city operations. The city manager functions include:

• implement policy decisions and legislative actions taken by the city commission
• make recommendations to the city commission
• oversee the operations of the city
• oversee preparation of the city budget
• recruit, hire and supervise city staff.

During the evaluation, they talked about possible changes with some administrative issues, but Kelly said they were not significant or substantive.

Commission to finalize Great Falls city manager’s salary increase

Kelly said the commission was pleased with how Doyon represents the city on boards and at other functions statewide and nationally.

He said salary increase is a “reflection of the great work that he’s done and our hope to keep him here in the future.”

Doyon’s contract expires in March 2020 and both parties have to give notice by September of their intentions to either extend or cancel the contract.

Kelly said it is the commission’s intent to spend the next few months figuring out a way to extend his contract further.

“Greg, we couldn’t be happier that you’re here,” Kelly said.

Doyon has been the city manager since March 2008.

In January 2008, the commission approved the employment agreement with Doyon.

When the city began the search for a city manager, they had 50 applicants that were narrowed to 16 with the help of a consultant. The commission narrowed the field to six. One candidate withdrew and one was sick at interview time, according to city minutes. Of the four who were interviewed, the commission at the time said Doyon was the best candidate.

Commissioner Bill Beecher said in January 2008 that “Doyon would bring enthusiasm and good ideas to our city and the commission was excited to have him,” according to the minutes.

There was no public comment at the time and the commission voted 5-0 to approve the contract in 2008.

Doyon’s contract was renewed again in 2017, for a three-year term, but the annual reviews continue.

In December 2018, Doyon interviewed for and was offered the city administrator position in Billings, but ultimately declined the position.

Doyon declines Billings job; remains Great Falls manager

“We realize we have a talent here and we’d like to keep him,” Kelly said last spring. “We’re glad that you chose to stay.”

Billings picks Great Falls city manager Greg Doyon for their city administrator position

The commission voted 5-0 last spring to increase Doyon’s salary by three percent and allowing a three percent cost of living adjustment, for a roughly $8,000 increase to his pay.

In March 2017, commissioners gave Doyon a favorable review and renewed his contract for three years with a three percent salary increase, which equated to an annual salary of $136,674, and 30 days vacation.

In Doyon’s 2016 review, commissioners approved 10 additional vacation days. In the May 2015 review, commissioners approved a $4,000 salary increase and an additional 10 days vacation for fiscal year 2015-2016 and an additional $4,000 salary increase for the next fiscal year.

In 2014, when the city was dealing with significant cuts to pay off the Electric City Power settlement, Doyon did not receive a salary increase, but instead commissioner approved an additional 80 hours of vacation.