Council Approves Sorensen Employment Agreement

The search for a City Manager for Alliance is over after Alliance City Council Members approved an employment agreement with Seth Sorensen to begin on June 1.

The position has remained open since September when former City Manager Jeff Sprock submitted a verbal resignation, with City Clerk Tarrah Johnson and Finance Director Randy Waggener taking on the duties of city manager in the interim.

Since that time, the city has undergone a search for a city manager that has been restarted twice. Sorensen, and others, had interviewed for the position in December, though council members could not agree on a final candidate at that time, beginning the search again. The quest led the council to make an offer to Jeff Hecksel, who declined the offer for personal reasons.

Just as council was prepared to hire a firm to aid them in finding a new city manager, according to an agenda for last Tuesday’s meeting released on Friday morning, a last-minute change to the agenda released on Monday included a resolution to approve an employment agreement with Sorensen.

The agreement, approved unanimously, offers Sorensen a salary of $140,000 per year, in addition to benefits offered to other city staff. Sorensen has served as the city manager for Pecos, Texas, for the past three years. Other unique benefits offered to Sorensen include a monthly allowance for a car and for a cell phone, as well as covering moving expenses up to $5,000.