Beaufort city manager gets $25K pay hike. He still makes less than Hilton Head boss
After a year on the job, Beaufort City Manager Scott Marshall is getting a $25,000 raise following a favorable review.
City Council members voted 5-0 Tuesday to increase Marshall’s pay from $150,000 to $175,000 annually and increase his monthly vehicle allowance by $200 to $800 a month.
The increase reflects the fair market rate for an experienced municipal administrator in the region, Mayor Phil Cromer said, adding Marshall’s salary was on the low end for a city manager when he was hired in late 2022. “It puts him on par with everyone else,” Cromer said.
By comparison, Hilton Head Town Manager Marc Orlando makes $210,000 annually. The former Bluffton town manager became Hilton Head town manager in February 2021.
Stephen Steese, who replaced Orlando as the Bluffton Town Manager, earns $174,473.
Van Willis, who has been the Town of Port Royal town manager for almost 22 years, earns $179,000 annually.
The pay increase for Marshall followed a positive evaluation of his performance, Cromer said. Council members discussed his job performance behind closed doors during an executive session last week after submitting individual forms to human resources rating his work.
Marshall was hired in December 2022 and started the job Jan. 18, 2023. He replaced Bill Prokop, who retired.
The city manager is responsible for day-to-day operations of the city, 155 employees and a $57 million budget.
Under Marshall’s watch, the city has combined its capital budget with the overall budget to make construction spending more transparent, and also launched a SeeClickFix app, a tool that allows residents to easily report various issues to the city like damaged roads, parking problems or other service issues. In a move to speed up the affairs of City Council whose meetings can drag on, Marshall recently proposed that number of monthly meetings be cut in half, and that routine issues like festival permits be placed on a “consent agenda” that can be approved, without discussion, with one vote.
Paul Trask, a developer, said the city should create a evaluation system that awards bonuses when goals are achieved, instead of awarding blanket salary increases.
Councilman Josh Scallate said Marshall’s performance was measured by looking at progress on goals listed in the city’s strategic plan. “I think this is a fair gesture and absolutely justified,” Scallate said.
Prior to joining Beaufort’s senior management team, Marshall was director of human resources for Beaufort County. Before that, he worked as deputy town manager and interim town manager for the Town of Bluffton.
