MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Jeff Niten is set to become the next city manager for Mountlake Terrace next month.
The Mountlake Terrace City Council on Thursday unanimously approved an employment agreement with Niten, who previously signed it. He’ll make $200,000 plus benefits annually and get $500 a month for a car allowance.
Niten also gets $15,000 to move to the area but isn’t required to live in the city of over 21,400 residents, according to the agreement.
His start date is April 17.
The salary and benefits are “within the standard range for comparable positions in the area,” interim City Manager Andrew Neiditz wrote in a memo to the council.
His yearly salary exceeds the Everett mayor’s nearly $195,000 and is just shy of the Snohomish County executive’s $205,000 annual income.
Everett’s population is over 110,000 and the city employs around 1,200.
The county executive and Everett’s mayor have directors who oversee departments and some executive-level work.
The Bothell city manager made over $214,000 last year, according to a state report of city and county executive salaries. Bothell’s population was over 47,700 in the latest U.S. Census tally.
Mountlake Terrace has a council-manager form of government with an elected council of seven members. They hire a city manager to run daily operations and implement policies.
As Mountlake Terrace’s top executive, Niten will oversee around 190 employees in a city already experiencing major change.
Development ahead of light rail has changed some parts of the town at the King-Snohomish county line.
Niten was one of five finalists identified during a search conducted by a consulting firm. The council selected him as their choice in early March.
Since 2019, Niten has been the city manager for Shelton, the county seat of Mason County with a population of over 10,700. Its approved 2023 general fund budget, which pays for most city services, was over $14 million.
Mountlake Terrace’s population is nearly twice as large at over 21,000 residents. Its general fund budget topped $43 million.
Ben Watanabe: 425-339-3037; bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @benwatanabe.
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