Mark Biernacki’s proposed salary raise to $120,122 is not an unusual situation for new city managers, said Carol Zar, assistant director of the Center for Governmental Studies and a member of the Illinois chapter of the International City Manager Association.

Several council members are upset with the negotiated salary because it would be $10,439 more than DeKalb’s previous city manager, Jim Connors, made.

In many professions, the incoming person will receive a higher salary than the person leaving, Zar said.

“It is at the high end for someone coming into the position with no experience,” she said.

When Connors became city manager, he made a significantly higher salary than Bill Nicklas, who left the position.

Lynn Creedon, human resources coordinator for the city of St. Charles, said no one in the city really had a problem with the city manager’s salary.

“No one really questioned it,” she said. “It was something that was needed.”

St. Charles changed its form of government in 1997 and changed its city administrator position to city manager.

St. Charles City Manager Larry Maholland’s salary range is $99,348 to $141,925, Creedon said.

When Sycamore changed its form of government two years ago, it also changed the city administrator position to city manager, Sycamore Mayor John Swedberg said. There wasn’t opposition to that person’s salary, he said.

Nicklas is now the city manager of Sycamore. He started making about $95,000.

Since Sycamore doesn’t have a track record of city managers, he couldn’t comment on the opposition, Swedberg said.

DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow said Biernacki has experience and deserves the proposed salary. He said he is in favor of Biernacki getting the position.

The one-year severance pay also is not unusual, Zar said. Biernacki’s proposed contract states if he is terminated on or before July 1, 2006, he will get paid a lump sum equal to 12 months of his annual base salary and 12 months of premiums for comprehensive major medical, dental and life insurance. If terminated before that date, his severance pay will equal six months’ pay.

“If you look at the history of each new hire, in the last three to four years, it’s not unusual,” Zar said.

Biernacki’s hiring and contract was approved in its first reading at the city council meeting two weeks ago. He is up for final approval at 7 p.m. today at the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St.