On November 17, 2020 the City of Fort Scott agreed to hire Jeff Hancock, Camdenton, MO with Management Partners, Inc. as interim city manager, according to the contract shown below.

Management Partners, Inc. is an organization that provides interim managers, Fort Scott  Human Resource Director Deb Needleman said in an email interview. The commissioners were the ones who contacted Management Partners, she said.

The hiring follows the retirement of former city manager Dave Martin in October, 2020.

Hancock’s employment will be for four months (120 days) and may be extended by the city with 15 days written notice prior to the expiration of the initial 4-month term, according to the contract.

Hancock will assist in providing personnel to handle responsibilities as interim city manager.

He will be allowed to establish an appropriate work schedule to meet the needs of the City of Fort Scott.

That work schedule will include, in general, 24 hours worked by Hancock on a weekly basis, with three days on-site in the city.

The compensation is $5,500.00 a month.

To view the entire contract see below:

THIS AGREEMENT, made this 17th day of November, 2020, by and between the City of Fort Scott, Kansas, (hereinafter referred to as the “City”), and Management Partners, Inc., (hereinafter referred to as “Partners”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the City wants to obtain interim city manager services, and

WHEREAS, Partners has the ability to provide such services to the City; and

WHEREAS, City desires to engage Partners to assist in providing personnel appropriate to handle responsibilities as interim City Manager for the City. Such interim personnel shall be given all authority to act as the City Manager under state law, or applicable city policies, in addition to any power specifically granted by the Mayor or City Commission to the City Manager. The parties agree that J. Jeff Hancock (“contractor”) shall handle these duties during the term of this Agreement. and Partners is willing to provide such services.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual obligations herein, the parties hereto do mutually agree as follows:

1. Scope of services. Partners shall assist the City by executing the project described in the proposal submitted dated November 10, 2020 , which is hereby incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit A, in a satisfactory and proper manner in accordance with direction provided by the City Commission or their designee.

1. 1. Time of Performance. Services of Partners shall be available upon receipt of an approved copy of this Agreement and shall commence on or around November 17, 2020. Services rendered to City by Partners shall be for four months (120 days) and may be extended by the City with 15 days written notice prior to the expiration of the initial 4-month term.

1.2 Compensation and Method of Payment.

Contractor shall be compensated for services rendered to the City of Fort Scott, Kansas pursuant to this agreement in the following manner:

A. The City of Fort Scott understands that the contractor shall be allowed to establish an appropriate work schedule and that the schedule shall be appropriate to the needs of the City of Fort Scott provided that such work schedule shall include, in general, 24 hours worked by the contractor on a weekly basis, with three days on site in the City. The City of Fort Scott shall allow the contractor to faithfully perform his or her assigned duties and responsibilities.

B. In consideration of above Section A, City shall compensate Partners a fee of $5,500.00 a month.

2. City Responsibilities. City agrees to furnish the assigned contractor all information required to perform services under this Agreement including access to all records of the City. J Jeff Hancock, the assigned contractor, acknowledges that as Interim City Manager, he is subject to all confidentiality requirements of applicable law.

3. Independent Partners. Neither Partners nor its employees are considered to be employees of the City of Fort Scott, Kansas, for any purpose whatsoever. Partners is an independent contractor in the performance of the services herein described.
4. Personnel. Partners represents that it has, or will secure at its own expense, all personnel required in performing all of the services required under this Agreement. Such personnel shall not be employees of or have any contractual relationships with the City. All the services required hereunder will be performed by Partners or under its supervision and all personnel engaged in the work shall be fully qualified and shall be authorized or permitted under state and local law to perform such services.
5. Discrimination Prohibited. In performing the services required hereunder, the Partners shall not discriminate against any person on the basis or race, color, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, age, physical handicap, or disability as defined in the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, as now enacted or hereafter emended.
6. Reports and Information. At such times and in such forms as the City may require, there shall be furnished to the City such statements, records, reports, data, and information, as the City may request pertaining to matters covered by this Agreement. Unless authorized by the City, the Partners will not release any information concerning the work product including any reports or other documents prepared pursuant to this Agreement until the final product is submitted to the City.
7. Establishment and Maintenance of Records. Records shall be maintained by the Partners in accordance with applicable law and requirements prescribed by the City with respect to all matters covered by this Agreement. Except as otherwise authorized by the City, such records shall be maintained for a period of three (3) years after receipt of final payment under this Agreement.
8. Assignability. Partners shall not assign any interest in this Agreement and shall not transfer any interest in this Agreement (whether by assignment or novation), without the prior written consent of the City thereto.
9. Termination for Convenience of City. The City may terminate this Agreement at any time by giving at least fifteen (15) days’ notice in writing to Partners. If Partners is terminated by the City as provided herein, Partners will be paid for the services actually performed to the time of termination.
10. Insurance and Indemnity.

10.1 The parties agree that the assigned contractor(s) will be serving in the capacity of a public official for the City, and shall be entitled to all the immunities, privileges and protections of that status as set forth by applicable law. City agrees, to the extent allowed by law, to hold Partners and its assigned contractor harmless from any and all claims, actions and damages, including a reasonable attorney fee, resulting from performance of Partners’ services under this Agreement, except for (i) any dishonest, fraudulent, criminal, willful, wanton, intentional or malicious act or course of conduct of the assigned contractor; (ii) any act or course of conduct of the assigned contractor which is not performed on behalf of the City; (iii) any act or course of conduct which is outside the scope of contractor’s service with the City; (iv) any lawsuit brought against assigned contractor or against Partners by the City; (v) any act or omission contrary to or not in furtherance of any adopted city ordinance or policy; or (vi) workers compensation claims, which are covered in a different manner and subject to the provisions of the Kansas Workers’ Compensation Act, K.S.A. 44-501 et seq..

10.2 City recognizes and agrees that all persons assigned by Partners are independent contractors, and not the personnel of Partners. City agrees to hold Partners harmless from all claims it may hereafter have by virtue of any action of the contractor assigned by Partners to City unless Partners, through its own actions or omissions, is wholly or in part at fault.

3. Construction and Severability. If any part of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such holding will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other part of this Agreement so long as the remainder of the Agreement is reasonably capable of completion.
4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes any and all other agreements or understandings, oral or written, whether previous to the execution hereof or contemporaneous herewith.
5. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Kansas, and the laws, rules, and regulations of the City of Fort Scott.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City and Partners have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.