The Gainesville City Commission voted to give 3% raises to its city attorney, city auditor and director of equity of inclusion, along with a 10% raise for its city clerk during a Monday special meeting.  

The City Commission also unanimously selected Commissioner Casey Willits as the mayor pro tempore for 2026, a largely honorary role that steps in for the mayor in case of an absence. Commissioner Bryan Eastman served in the position for 2025 and, following tradition, made the motion for Willits to succeed him.  

The commissioners rated each of the charter officers as “outstanding” or “exceeds job standards.” These annual evaluations and raises didn’t apply to interim City Manager Andrew Persons because of his recent promotion to the post last month.  

The average rating, out of 5, for each of the charter officers was as follows:  

• City Attorney Daniel Nee: 4.89 

• City Auditor Stephen Mhere: 4.63 

• Equal Opportunity Director Zeriah Folston: 4.66 

• City Clerk Kristen Bryant: 4.69 

Willits said he wanted to give each of the charter officers a 3% raise for their hard work but added a 10% raise for Bryant. He highlighted that Bryant recently completed training to earn her Certified Municipal Clerk designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.  

Willits said he’d been impressed with Bryant’s work and the turnaround within that office. Bryant was selected as interim city clerk in June 2023. 

Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker agreed. 

“When we talk about instability, let’s just call it what it was, that particular office faced a lot in high turnover, and what I’ve observed [Bryant] be able to do is navigate through that shift, be nimble and try to come up with systems that work,” Duncan-Walker said.  

Commissioner James Ingle added that he had considered a similar motion to give Bryant a higher jump. He said all other charter officers received a substantial raise when moving from interim to permanent, but the city’s director of human resources, Laura Graetz, said Bryant only moved 2.5% (from $120,000 to $123,000).  

Ingle said he sees the larger increase for Bryant as rectifying a previous error and treating the charter officers equally. He said the other charter officers received salary increases of 10% or more when moving from interim to permanent. 

However, commissioners Cynthia Chestnut and Ed Book supported the 3% increase but not an additional 7% for the clerk.   

Chestnut said the budget remains unstable, though better than the previous couple of years. A 10% jump sends the wrong message, she said.  

Book said the 3% increase for the top-level staff seemed appropriate. Other bargaining units received higher percentage increases, and while making more money, Book said the charter officers also carry more accountability and have done a “dynamite job.”  

The increase, he said, is not giving above and beyond while still recognizing the positive evaluations. 

Willits’ motion passed 4-3 with Chestnut, Book and Eastman in dissent.  

Mayor Harvey Ward said the city clerk’s salary, even with the 10% jump, will remain a good distance below the other charter officers.  

Bryant’s salary was $123,000 after becoming permanent at the start of 2024. Stephen Mhere started with a salary of $160,000 when joining the city in 2024. Folston and Nee both earned salary jumps when becoming permanent in 2023, to $189,000 and $228,000 respectively. Person’s interim contract as city manager, approved in September, gives a $245,000 salary.