Manager, chief get new contracts
POTTSTOWN» Borough Council made official Wednesday night what many had been anticipating — contracts for two of the most important posts in borough government.
Two-year contracts for Interim Borough Manager Justin Keller and Interim Police Chief Mick Markovich stripped the “interim”
from their titles.
After starting its meeting by going into closed-door executive session to discuss “personnel,” council returned and announced it would be adding two items to the end of the agenda.
According to Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr., the two contracts are almost identical.
Both contracts expire on Dec. 31, 2019. The salaries for both contracts are retroactive to the first of the year.
Keller will be paid $107,000 per year and Markovich will be paid $110,000 per year.
Because Markovich has more years with the borough, he will receive five weeks vacation, while Keller gets three weeks.
Both get 12 sick days, as well as a borough vehicle to drive and the same health benefits and pension that every other borough manager gets, according to Garner.
Both contracts are renewable on an annual basis, Garner said.
Hired two years ago this month as assistant borough manager, Keller became interim manager on Jan. 1, with the retirement of the man who hired him, former borough manager Mark Flanders.
Before hiring him permanently, council altered the borough manager ordinance, removing the provision that required Keller to live in the borough. Although
“I’m excited to lead this department and to be of service to the borough.” Mick Markovich, Pottstown Police Chief
he previously lived in Pottstown, Keller now lives in Audubon.
While pleased to have the position made permanent, Keller said he has been doing the job for several months and is now focused on increasing revenues and trying to lower costs for next year’s budget.
That will be a tall order given that the mid-year adjustments Keller reported to council last night mostly included cost increases.
Markovich replaces former police chief Rick Drumheller, who retired last month, 18 months earlier than he had previously planned.
Markovich’s appointment comes only a month after was named interim police chief.
Markovich said becoming a chief of police had always been one of his career goals, “I just didn’t think it would happen so soon.”
“I’m excited to lead this department and to be of service to the borough,” Markovich said. He said he hopes to “re-allocate some of the staff to the busier times, and to the downtown business district.”
Other plans, he said, he will share when they are ready to be announced.