Osbourn offered WSS town manager’s position
WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla. — Members of the West Siloam Springs board of trustees voted unanimously at a special meeting on Thursday to offer the job of town manager to Kathy Osbourn.
Board members also voted to give Mayor Elaine Carr and City Attorney Jot Hartley authority to enter salary negotiations with Osbourn. Should Osbourn accept the job offer, the final salary will be approved by the board at the town’s regular board meeting on Monday.
Osbourn is currently serving as town clerk, an elected position she has held for the past six years. The town clerk serves a four-year term and is responsible for managing the city office, finances, and meeting agendas and minutes. Osbourn estimates she volunteers between 10 and 20 hours a week to fulfill her town clerk responsibilities.
Carr explained that if Osbourn accepts the position of town manager, she will resign as town clerk and the city will have 90 days to either appoint a replacement or hold a special election.
A total of nine candidates applied for the position of town manager. Seven of the nine attended a special meeting on July 6 and were individually interviewed by board of trustee members during a three-hour executive session.
Osbourn, who is a nurse, currently works as a marketing liaison for Health South. She is a lifelong resident of West Siloam Springs and enjoys volunteering to help the town progress. Osbourn said she initially never
imagined leaving her nursing career, but her constituents encouraged her to apply for the town manager position because of her engagement with the city.
“I’ve got a heart for the town,” she said.
Carr explained that West Siloam Springs needs a town manager because it is growing and has a lot of potential for future growth. According to the job description, approved by the board of trustees on July 6, the town manager’s many responsibilities will include managing governmental affairs for the numerous departments, boards, authorities and commissions; reporting the town’s financial condition to the board of trustees each month; and general supervision of department heads.
Fifty percent of the town manager’s salary will come from the water department, 25 percent will come from the street department and 25 percent will come from the general fund, according to Kris Kirk, certified public accountant for the city.
Attorney Travis Hartley, who stood in for city attorney Jot Hartley on Thursday, said he could not disclose the salary range the town has budgeted for before the meeting on Monday night.
“We don’t have anything we can disclose without compromising our ability to negotiate,” Hartley said. “But anything that was decided on would have to be approved in an open meeting.”
••• Correction: The Wednesday edition of the HeraldLeader incorrectly reported that Kathy Osbourn is a member of the West Siloam Springs Board of Trustees. Osbourn is actually the town clerk. The town clerk is an elected official but does not vote with the board of trustees.