Platte City’s Board of Aldermen Tuesday night awarded Keith Moody, city administrator, a three percent merit pay increase.
In addition, the board cleared up some other issues involving Moody’s employment by spelling out his car allowance and severance package in a written employment agreement.
Mayor Frank Offutt said those items had been agreed upon when Moody was originally hired by the city back in 1996, but had never been formally placed into the employment agreement.
Aldermen voted Moody a pay increase that will give him an annual salary of $61,000.
“The board was unanimous on this,” Offutt said, indicating all members are happy with Moody’s job performance.
Aldermen had been given evaluation forms at the beginning of this month to critique the administrator’s work. Though some city administrators have contracts, under Moody’s arrangement with Platte City he is considered an at-will employee who is employed at the discretion of the board.
Moody began working with the city on Feb. 5, 1996 under then-mayor Pearl Brown.
In other business, the board:
- Heard a report from Tom Singleton, the city’s auditor, who reported the audit “reflects positively on the city.” He said he is confident in the financial structure of the city. He offered minor suggestions on how the city could improve internal financial controls, but emphasized there were no irregularities in the city’s books.
- Heard from Moody that about 33% of residents in the city are participating in curbside recycling. He said participation is best in some of the newer neighborhoods in the city, indicating some new residents have likely participated in recycling in other communities. Moody encourages residents to “start small and go at your own place” when it comes to recycling. “Every little bit helps,” he said.
- Heard from Justin Stuart, parks and recreation director, that the parks board will be hiring a firm to do a 10-year master plan for parks usage/development. Stuart said the board will soon select a firm to do the study and will be seeking community input for the plan.
- Approved spending $4,600 to do another ETC Institute community survey to help guide the direction of the city. Parks questions will be some of the highlights on the survey.
- Offutt reported Phase III of the Capital Improvement Program should be underway around April 1. It involves improvements to storm drainage, curbs, gutters and replacement of old water and sewer mains in neighborhoods on Almond, Academy, Atchison, Cathy Lane, Rader, and Todd Streets.
- Endorsed the community’s participation in the Missouri Community Assessment Program. The Platte City Area Chamber of Commerce/Economic Development Council is enrolling in the program, an assessment effort enabling the community to evaluate itself in five categories: human resources; economic development; government organization and management; community service; and community facilities.

