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In an email to the T-R on Wednesday night, Marshalltown Mayor and Acting City Administrator Joel Greer confirmed that he has hired former City Administrator Jessica Kinser as an independent consultant on a contract basis at a pay rate of $150 an hour.
As he previously indicated during a special council meeting, Greer has the authority, on his own and without council approval, to make such a hire if the value of the contract does not exceed $49,999. Kinser has been serving as the interim finance director for the city of Ottumwa since November and is currently one of three finalists for the city administrator job in Faribault, Minn.
According to a news release on the Faribault website, the city council is expected to make a hire on Feb. 20, and current Administrator Tim Murray plans to vacate the position on March 29.
Greer said Kinser would be assisting the city of Marshalltown "for the few weekend or after-hours time she can spend on helping me guide our finance department, council and me through the budget process, given our late receipt of valuations from the county, and perhaps what tasks I should undertake with what departments while I am acting as the CA."
Kinser served as Marshalltown's city administrator for about 6 ½ years from 2016 to 2023 before resigning last May. She then received a severance package entitling her to up to six months' pay -- $92,768 -- unless she found comparable employment during that time frame.
Kinser's successor, Joe Gaa, formally resigned on Jan. 25 after just 4 ½ months in the position, but he will remain on paid administrative leave until March 10, the day before his six-month probationary period would have ended.