Wichita council gives city manager Layton maximum raise

The Wichita City Council gave City Manager Robert Layton the maximum salary increase of 3.75 percent on Tuesday.

The raise will bump Layton’s salary from $213,063 to $221,053.

That includes a 1.25 percent cost of living increase being given to all city employees this year, plus the maximum allowable merit increase of 2.5 percent.

“We have been incredibly happy with the manager’s performance,” Mayor Jeff Longwell said. “I think I choked up saying that.”

Former City Council member Sue Schlapp and Lonny Wright, a municipal activist who attends numerous city and county meetings, spoke in support of the raise.

Wright praised Layton for a willingness to seek out and act on input from residents.

The staff report on the raise listed 18 recent accomplishments that have occurred under Layton’s guidance, including several economic-development initiatives, a new route and fare plan for the transit system and the hiring of the police chief, planning director, housing director and assistant city manager for development services.

This story was originally published October 11, 2016 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Wichita council gives city manager Layton maximum raise."