Updated 11 a.m. March 20 with additional information about commission compensation

City Commissioners gave City Manager Greg Doyon a favorable review, 5 percent raise and extended his contract another three years during a special March 18 meeting.

After roughly an hour and a half of discussion in closed session, Mayor Cory Reeves said that Doyon’s leadership is “instrumental” in city operations and he’s done an “outstanding job this past year.”

No other commissioners made comments at that point and a motion was made to give Doyon a 2.8 percent cost of living adjustment and a 2.2 percent performance raise, for a total increase on 5 percent.

The performance increase equates to $4,350.45, bringing his base salary to $202,098.13.

The COLA increase on that amount equates to $5,658.75, bringing his new annual salary to $207,756.88.

The total increase of $10,009.20 is effective March 24.

Doyon’s current contract runs through March 2026 and commissioners voted to extend that another three years to March 24, 2029.

Commissioners give city manager favorable review, salary increase [2024]

Once the motion was made, Commissioner Rick Tryon said, “Greg is doing a great job and has been for at least as long as I’ve been on the commission.”

He said that he hears people say the city manager makes too much money for a city this size, or in general, and that “usually comes from folks who have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about.”

Commissioners extend city manager contract, increase salary [2023]

Tryon said that Commissioner Joe McKenney had shared information on what other city managers or administrators are paid around the region.

His list included:

• Olympia, Wash.: $225,000
• Helena: $195,000
• Bozeman: $193,000
• Marysville, Wash.: $248,000

Helena had a six people in the role of city manager over seven years and in 2023, hired Tim Burton for the position, which he had previously held from 2000-2009.

In Bozeman, Chuck Winn has been serving as interim city manager since April 2024 after city commissioners there severed the former city manager when a video surfaced of him making disparaging remarks about commissioners and the city.

Bozeman also typically has two assistant city managers, the most recent hired in the range of $184,000 to $202,000, according to local reports.

Commissioner Susan Wolff said that the extent of the city manager’s work is often unknown and until you get involved, you don’t understand the complexities.

Board approves raise for airport director [2024]

She said Doyon is doing a “phenomenal job.”

Commissioner Shannon Wilson said that with exciting things happening in the city, it’s “good that you will be here to bring us into this next level, we need that experience.”

McKenney said, “I would not want your job, it’s a really, really hard job.”

He said that the five commissioners have different opinions and Doyon has to have at least three agree to move most things forward.

McKenney said Doyon can’t take sides and has to build trust with all five commissioners. 

“You do an excellent job. I am glad you’re here and I hope you’re here for many more years,” McKenney said.

In February, Reeves said he wanted to look at adjusting the pay for commissioners, which he said had been the same since 1988.

Under city code, the salary of each commissioner is $312 monthly. The salary of the mayor is $468 monthly.

Commissioners and the mayor also receives a $175 monthly stipend.

They’re individual checks are different depending on their deductions for taxes and health insurance if they’re on the city’s insurance.

In February, Reeves said he wasn’t looking to get rich or make a living off the commission salary, but asked to look at comparables to adjust for expenses since “we lose money.”

Commissioners and staff have not discussed it further as of March 19.

Commissioners are reimbursed for any out of town travel if they attend training, conference or meetings.

Other expenses such as gas for local travel, cell phone bills, etc, are generally covered by their wage and stipend, according to city staff.

City elected officials can also participate in the city’s health insurance plan at the same rates as employees, which is detailed in this chart provided to The Electric by the city. These rates are expected to increase by 8 to 13 percent in the next year.

Coverage Type	Annual Cost	City’s Annual Contribution	Elected Officials Annual Contribution
Elected Official/Employee	$12,590.50	$11,583.26	$1,007.24
Elected Official/Employee & Child(ren)	$22,115.86	$18,798.52	$3,317.34
Elected Official/Employee & Spouse	$25,131.86	$21,362.12	$3,769.74
Elected Official/Employee & Family	$34,765.64	$29,550.82	$5,214.82

After their term, city elected officials are eligible for COBRA benefits for 36 months, paying 102 percent of the total annual cost.

City elected officials are also:

• covered by a $30,000 term life insurance policy at the city’s expense, with an annual cost of the policies ranging from $44.40 to $68.45
• able to participated in the Montana Public Employees’ Retirement System
  • the city pays 9.07 percent of the salary, stipend and health insurance on base and the elected official pays 6.9 percent for a cost to the city ranging from $1,204.06 to $1,552.20 annually

In 2024, commissioners also have Doyon a favorable review and a 4 percent salary increase, bringing the base salary to $197,747.68.

GFPS board approves Hoyer superintendent contract [2024]

In April 2023, commissioners voted to extend Doyon’s contract from April 5, 2023 to April 5, 2026.

City manager gets favorable review, raise [2022]

They also voted to increase his salary by 3.5 percent, bringing Doyon’s base salary to $190,142.

Airport director gets raise; among top paid public officials in Great Falls [2023]

In 2022, commissioners voted to increase his base salary to $183,713, retroactive to March 24, 2022.

Commissioners renewed his contract in 2020 for three years and that year, the base salary was $161,500.

Doyon gets favorable review, contract unchanged [2021]

Former Mayor Bob Kelly said in 2022 that the city’s human resources director researched comparable salaries for city managers in the state and region and used those to make the recommendation to increase Doyon’s salary.

Commissioners approve city manager pay increase [2021]

He said at the time, the minimum was $156,000, the middle was $183,000 and the maximum was $211,000.

Kelly said in 2022 that commissioners hadn’t been able to give Doyon much in the way of increases during COVID due to budget uncertainty and it “wasn’t enough at the time to recognize Greg for what he’s worth to us.”

City manager’s contract renewed another three years [2020]

Doyon has been the city manager since 2008.

At that time, the city was involved in the failed Electric City Power venture that took years to extricate itself from.