Lincoln City Terminates Contract With City Manager Pro-Tem

At the July 14 Lincoln City City Council Meeting, the Council voted 4 to 1 to terminate the contract of David Benson, the City Manager Pro Tem, without cause after an executive session. The decision was preceded by a discussion during the meeting regarding new hiring standards and executive session protocols for city leadership positions. During the meeting, city officials outlined a detailed policy for hiring executives, which included provisions for confidential candidate reviews and veteran preference in recruitment.

The council's action suggests a potential shift in municipal leadership strategy. The vote followed a comprehensive discussion of hiring procedures, with council members carefully reviewing language around internal recruitment and candidate evaluation. The newly approved policy will guide the upcoming city manager search, which aims to expand the potential applicant pool through confidential initial screening.

City officials have not yet announced an interim leadership plan or timeline for recruiting a new permanent city manager. Mayor Susan Wahlke said Lincoln City Police Chief Broderick is acting city manager. The council has called a special session meeting for Monday evening to discuss next steps. This is a developing story. More details will be provided as they become available.