City manager back on the job

John Bingham was back in his seat Friday at noon in the City Council chambers, with an ordinance to set his salary and compensation up for approval on April 3.

Bingham's employment contract with the city began March 22.

Mayor Dennis Berry explained a little of what took place prior to Bingham's rehiring.

According to Berry, Bingham had sent in his application sometime after they had interviewed three other applicants.

Council members declined to interview him, Berry said, as it would have been an unnecessary cost.

"There were no questions anyone could have asked him that they didn't already know the answers to," Berry said.

Critical dates concerning the waste water treatment facility and the deep injection well process, as well as the the upcoming budget, called for someone who was up to speed on such matters, he said.

"We already knew his strengths and weaknesses," he said.

Bingham quit his job as city manager in January to accept a city manager position in Damascus, Ore. The McCook City Council announced he had been rehired at their March 6 meeting.