At the county board’s May 12 meeting County Auditor/Treasurer Braidy Powers outlined the preliminary contract that will be offered to Jeffrey Cadwell who has verbally accepted the position as new county administrator.
Cadwell will replace the late Jay Kieft. He is currently serving as the city administrator for Mahnomen but the hope is that he will be working for Cook County sometime early July, if not sooner, said Powers.
Cadwell will start at $85,000 per year with an increase of $6,000 after the first six months. He will receive $5,000 for moving expenses and will accrue 80 hours of paid leave upon the first day of employment and he will receive 25 days of paid leave per year.
In case of termination Cadwell will receive six months of severance pay.
“This is very similar to the terms that Jay Kieft had, other than the salary is significantly less because he has less experience,” said Powers.
Cadwell will receive the same benefit package as other department heads and will be placed on the county’s 15-step salary schedule, which is similar to other department heads.
Powers told the board that the salary range for the administrator position ranged from $78,000 to $110,000, “So this is on the low end.”
“The contract that will be offered to Cadwell closely mirrors the one offered to Kieft,” said Powers.
Commissioners Garry Gamble and Heidi Doo-Kirk, along with Powers and County Attorney Molly Hicken, worked on the contract at the county board’s request. Hicken said she would have a final draft of Cadwell’s contract ready for the board by its next meeting.
Commissioner Gamble asked that Cadwell be given measurable goals with incentives tied to those goals.
The board will also give Cadwell a set of goals for the first six months of his employment. Those will be outlined in upcoming meetings.
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