City Manager, Attorney Score High Performance Ratings

City Manager Marty Colburn and City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht scored high marks in an annual performance review by city commissioners, with both evaluated as "more than satisfactory."

Consultant Mary Grover led the performance reviews, interviewing each city commissioner and compiling the board's feedback into reports without attribution. Commissioners reviewed the reports in closed session Monday. The reports were then later released to The Ticker. The position of city manager and city attorney are the only two staff positions city commissioners are responsible for filling and evaluating.

Commissioners reported that Trible-Laucht is "highly valued and the quality of her work is appreciated," according to Grover. Trible-Laucht was commended for being level-headed, accurate, thorough, and a "good guiding hand" for the city. During a particularly litigious year for the city - including lawsuits involving the proposed nine-story River West development and design work at Clinch Park - "she represented the city very well" and "has handled some difficult issues very professionally," commissioners said. Three commissioners said Trible-Laucht performed her job very or extremely well, two said satisfactorily, one said satisfactorily "meaning she meets all expectations and more," and one said "much more than satisfactorily."

Colburn, who was hired by the city in May 2015, was praised for being able to "hit the ground running" his first year on the job. Commissioners said Colburn has "handled a lot of stressful situations well" and that they were "impressed with his professionalism, both in public meetings and day-to-day." Among potential areas of improvements, commissioners cited a need for improved information-sharing and better email communications. Three commissioners said Colburn performed his job very or extremely well, one said "more than satisfactorily," one said "satisfactorily" and one said "unsatisfactorily."

Overall, Grover said, both employees were found to have performed more than satisfactorily by commissioners. Colburn's contract states that his salary will increase from $105,000 to $110,000 this year pending a satisfactory performance review.