The Kirkland City Council came to terms on a contract and officially welcomed Kurt Triplett as the next Kirkland City Manager during its regular meeting on June 15.

“I know through my personal and professional experiences with Kirkland that it is an exceptional community supported by amazingly active neighborhoods and successful schools,” said Triplett in a city press release. “I’m honored to be named Kirkland’s City Manager and look forward to working with the council, staff and community to keep Kirkland great.”

Triplett’s four-year contract states that he will be paid $174,000 per year, subject to a 3.4 percent temporary salary reduction in 2010 for all management and other city employees. That salary reduction means Triplett will make $168,000 his first year.

“I think he brings an amazing skill set,” said Kirkland Mayor Joan McBride. “We are all excited to welcome him in.”

The salary of the city manager was one of the controversial issues during the search process. Many in the community were not happy with how much former city manager Dave Ramsay was paid at $157,500 a year and called for a salary reduction. When Ramsay was hired in 1998, his salary was among the top for his position in the state.

“If we look at comparable salaries to what Dave Ramsay was making it was not up to what others get for a base salary,” said McBride. “This is not a volunteer job.”

Triplett is set to officially begin with the city on June 28.

“That is actually earlier than what we had expected,” said McBride. “It is nice to know he wants to jump right in.”

In Kirkland’s city-manager style government, Triplett will be tasked with implementing the policies and guidelines adopted by the seven-person city council. The city manager is also tasked with managing the day-to-day operations of the city.

Triplett will oversee the operations of 10 departments and will direct the City Manager’s Office (CMO). CMO programs include neighborhood services, legislative advocacy, council relations, economic development, public information, tourism and the volunteer program.

Interim City Manager Marilynne Beard will return to her post as Assistant City Manager at that time.

“She has done a yeomen’s job,” said McBride. “She is the most amazing person and a great city manager herself.”

Triplett was selected as a finalist by the management search firm Bob Murray and Associates that the city hired last November. Triplett was one of 15 candidates selected by the firm for the position from a group of 90 applicants. The Kirkland City Council narrowed the final 15 down to select Triplett.

McBride said that the hire is good timing as Triplett will come in just as the city begins to work on the next biennium budget.

“It is good that he will be in on that process,” said McBride. “He knows how to budget and he has a track record of being very careful with the public’s money.”

Triplett’s background

Triplett served as King County’s Interim County Executive (2009), Chief of Staff to County Executive Ron Sims (2003-2009), Deputy Director of King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks (1998-2002), and Deputy Chief of Staff under Ron Sims and Gary Locke. Triplett has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government (2003) and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Stanford University (1989). Triplett currently lives in Seattle with his wife and three children.

This story will be updated when more information is available.