Waukesha - Steve Crandell, the city's community development director, should get a temporary pay boost while serving as acting city administrator under a recommendation from the Common Council's Human Resources Committee Wednesday.
Crandell will fill in after Aug. 5, when City Administrator Lori Curtis Luther leaves to become the county administrator of Peoria County in Illinois. Crandell also was acting administrator for about eight months in 2007 before Luther was hired in December of that year.
Luther is paid about $117,600 a year. The committee recommended Crandell be paid at that rate while performing those duties, amounting to about $800 more a month.
The Common Council is scheduled to take final action at its Aug. 4 meeting.
Crandell told the Human Resources Committee that while he can perform functions of both jobs, he is not interested in seeking the city administrator's job full time. Crandell has also been appointed to serve on a team that in the coming months will negotiate a proposed purchase agreement for Lake Michigan water with Milwaukee, Oak Creek or Racine.
The committee also postponed action on a request that the city hire an executive search firm to find a permanent replacement for Luther. Ald. Joe Pieper, a committee member, said Thursday that Mayor Jeff Scrima asked for the delay, but without explanation.
At a recent Common Council meeting, Scrima asked that aldermen restore the mayor's daily oversight and evaluation responsibility for the city administrator. A year ago, aldermen unanimously stripped Scrima of that role because of a clash between Luther and Scrima. Since then, present and former council presidents have provided that oversight.