The World reported that departing Port of Coos Bay CEO, Jeff Bishop, was taking a job with Blanchard, Oklahoma for family reasons and that his annual salary had been $151K+ with no mention of benefits. According to the City of Blanchard website, Bishop will be taking a sizable pay cut as the new city manager.

City Council Hires New City Manager
On Wednesday, November 23, during a special meeting, the Blanchard City Council voted 3 to 1 to hire Jeffrey Bishop of Coos Bay, Oregon, as the new city manager. When asked in an interview with Mayor Frank Broyles, he stated he was the no vote. When asked why he voted no, the mayor said, “because after narrowing the list down to two individuals who both appeared to be qualified, there was a large difference in the cost to hire them. The difference was approximately $20,000 per year in salary and benefits.” The mayor went on to say his vote had nothing to do with the new city manager or his qualifications. It was purely a matter of cost to the city since both candidates appeared to be qualified, professional city managers. The new city manager will be paid a starting salary of $82,500 and will receive a benefit package of approximately $20,000 which includes a $500 a month for a car and phone allowance and health, vision and dental insurance for his entire family.

The website also gives more details about Bishop’s work history.

Jeffrey T. Bishop Hired as Blanchard’s New City Manager
Last Wednesday, November 23, Jeffrey T. Bishop was hired as Blanchard’s new city manager. Mr. Bishop has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Municipal Management from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma, and has graduate work in Public Administration at the University of Oklahoma. He will be leaving his current position as Chief Executive Officer of the Oregon International Port of Coos
Bay in Coos Bay, Oregon, to start as Blanchard‘s new city manager beginning January 3, 2012. Mr. Bishop also has extensive experience in public administration, serving as City Manager of Sulphur, Oklahoma, and City Administrator in the cities of Jerome, Idaho, Connell, Washington, and Lansing, Kansas. He also holds the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation from the CCIM Institute, an affiliate of the…