FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE October 7, 2026
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Heather Abrams, Town Manager
SUBJECT Adopt a Resolution Reclassifying the Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager Position to Assistant Town Manager, Approving the Assistant Town Manager Classification Specification, and Establishing a Salary Range
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Town Council (1) adopt a Resolution reclassifying the Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager position to Assistant Town Manager; (2) approving the Assistant Town Manager classification specification attached as Exhibit A; and (3) establishing a monthly salary range of $15,900 (Step A) to $18,406 (Step D) for the Assistant Town Manager classification.
BACKGROUND
Town Manager Transition
Town Manager Heather Abrams has resigned, effective October 15, 2026. Under the Council-Manager form of government established in Fairfax Municipal Code (FMC) Chapter 2.12, the Town Manager is the Town’s administrative head and is responsible for all Town operations. The Town Council will need to appoint interim leadership and conduct a recruitment for a permanent Town Manager, a process that is likely to take several months. Both the Interim and the new Town Manager will require support.
Current Classification
The Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager is a single-position classification in the Unrepresented Management group. It reports to the Town Manager, performs department head–level duties for all functions of the Office of the Town Clerk, manages the Town Council agenda process, supports civic engagement and intergovernmental relations, and assists the Town Manager in coordinating Town operations. The Town Clerk is an elected office in Fairfax, while the Deputy Town Clerk carries out the statutory and day-to-day functions of the Town Clerk’s Office, including elections, records management, Public Records Act requests, and Political Reform Act filings. The position is compensated under the Management Resolution (Resolution No. 24-61) at a monthly range of $12,236 (Step A) to $14,165 (Step D), effective July 1, 2026.
Prior Reclassification
This position was last reclassified on February 3, 2021, when the Council adopted a resolution creating the Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager classification. At that time, the position was titled Assistant to the Town Manager, and its duties had grown to include managing virtual Council meetings
during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting a sharp increase in special Council meetings (23 in 2020, compared to 16 in 2019), and performing all the functions of the Office of the Town Clerk as Deputy Town Clerk. The new hybrid classification, modeled after a similar position in Corte Madera, recognized that the position operates at a department head level, serves as Acting Town Manager when assigned, and oversees information technology, the website, and communications. The Council set the salary range equal to that of Fairfax department heads.
Since 2021, the position has continued to serve as the Town Manager’s principal administrative support and as the day-to-day head of the Town Clerk’s Office. This position has grown since that time, managing additional responsibilities including risk management, policy development and implementation, budget guidance, and interdepartmental coordination.
DISCUSSION
Need for the Position
Fairfax is a small organization with a lean management team. When the Town Manager leaves, much of the institutional knowledge about Council priorities, agenda preparation and coordination, contracts, and interdepartmental coordination leaves as well. The Town needs a second-ranking executive who can provide continuity while the Council appoints interim leadership and recruits a permanent Town Manager.
An Assistant Town Manager can help an interim Town Manager get up to speed quickly, keep Council priorities and adopted work plans on track, and give department heads and employees a consistent point of contact during a period of change.
The Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager position is the logical place for this role. This role already works directly with the Town Manager and Town Council, manages the agenda process, and oversees the Town Clerk’s Office. Reclassifying the existing position, rather than adding a new one, strengthens the organization without increasing the number of authorized positions.
How the Classification Changes
The proposed Assistant Town Manager classification (Exhibit A to the attached resolution) keeps all current Deputy Town Clerk and Council-support duties and adds executive responsibility. The key differences are:
• The current class operates at department head level but mainly assists the Town Manager and coordinates project support. The Assistant Town Manager would exercise authority delegated by the Town Manager and act on the Town Manager’s behalf on administrative, operational, and policy matters.
• The Assistant Town Manager would provide human resources and labor relations support, risk management, contract and franchise administration, and grants, and would continue to oversee information technology and Town Clerk’s Office responsibilities. • Since 2021, the position has served as Acting Town Manager when assigned. The Assistant Town Manager would continue this responsibility, formally serving as Town Manager Pro Tempore when designated under FMC Section 2.12.050..
• Town Clerk functions would continue. The Assistant Town Manager would continue to remain responsible for administration of elections, maintenance of official records, coordinating responses to Public Records Act requests, Political Reform Act filings, and Council agendas and minutes.
The classification would be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), meaning the position is salaried and not eligible for overtime pay, and would remain in the Unrepresented Management group. Minimum qualifications are a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) and six years of increasingly responsible municipal administrative experience, including three years at the executive, management, or department head level.
Salary Analysis
Staff surveyed Assistant City/Town Manager and comparable classifications in seven Bay Area and North Bay agencies, using each agency’s publicly posted pay schedule. The results are summarized below (monthly base salary).
TABLE 1
Agency (population) Classification Monthly Min. Monthly Max. Annual Max.
Corte Madera
(10,222)
Assistant Town
Manager
$14,154 $17,204 $206,448
Larkspur (12,014) Assistant City Manager $13,582 $18,202 $218,424 Sausalito (7,269) Assistant City Manager $18,619 $20,917 $251,006 Yountville (2,933) Administrative Services
Director
$14,172 $19,919 $239,034
Sonoma (10,739) Asst. City
Manager/Admin.
Services Director
$14,032 $17,055 $204,666
Sebastopol (7,521) Assistant City
Manager/City Clerk
$17,716 $17,716 (flat
rate)
$212,592
Fairfax – current
(7,605)
Dep. Town Clerk/Asst.
to the Town Manager
$12,236 $14,165 $169,978
Fairfax – proposed Assistant Town
Manager
$15,900 $18,406 $220,872
The median for the six agencies is $14,163 at the bottom of the salary range and $17,959 at the top of the salary range. The current Fairfax range falls well below this market: the market median is about 16% higher at the bottom of the range and about 27% higher at the top.
Staff also considered internal alignment—how the position compares with other Fairfax management classifications. Under the Management Resolution, the Public Works Director range is $15,893 to $18,398
per month, and the Planning & Building Director range is $15,034 to $17,404 per month. When the Council created the current classification in 2021, it set the salary range comparative to that of Fairfax department heads because the position operated at a department head level; today the position shares its range with the Finance Director. The proposed range starts at $15,900 per month, with four steps set 5% apart, as shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Assistant Town Manager Step A Step B Step C Step D
Monthly $15,900 $16,695 $17,530 $18,406
Annual $190,800 $200,340 $210,360 $220,872
The proposed range places the position slightly above the market median and at the top of the Town’s internal management structure below the Town Manager. This is appropriate given the added executive responsibilities, the continued Deputy Town Clerk duties (which several comparison agencies assign to a separate position), and the Town’s need to retain experienced leadership during the transition.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
Not Applicable
CEQA AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CONSISTENCY
This action is not a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is a personnel-related administrative action that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment (CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378(b)(2)). The action has no effect on the Town’s Climate Action Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT
This action does not add a position. The fiscal impact is the difference between the current salary and proposed salary as seen in Table 1, plus related salary-driven benefit costs such as CalPERS retirement contributions and Medicare.
These costs can be absorbed within the adopted FY 2026-27 General Fund budget 01-211 for the Town Manager’s Office.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution with Assistant Town Manager Classification Specification attached as Exhibit A Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FAIRFAX
RECLASSIFYING THE DEPUTY TOWN CLERK/ASSISTANT TO THE TOWN MANAGER POSITION
TO ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER, APPROVING THE ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER
CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION, AND ESTABLISHING A SALARY RANGE WHEREAS, on February 3, 2021, the Town Council adopted a resolution creating the Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager classification, a single-position, department head–level classification that performs the functions of the Office of the Town Clerk and assists the Town Manager in the day-to-day administration of the Town; and
WHEREAS, Town Manager Heather Abrams has resigned effective October 15, 2026, and the Town Council will appoint interim leadership and conduct a recruitment for a permanent Town Manager; and WHEREAS, the Town Council finds that a second-ranking executive position is needed to provide continuity of operations, support interim leadership, and support the organization through the recruitment process; and
WHEREAS, the duties of the Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager position will expand to include support for human resources, oversight of risk management, contract and franchise administration, and grant programs; support for labor relations; and acting as Town Manager Pro Tempore when designated pursuant to Fairfax Municipal Code Section 2.12.050, while continuing to perform the functions of the Deputy Town Clerk; and
WHEREAS, staff has prepared the Assistant Town Manager classification specification attached hereto as Exhibit A and has conducted a comparative salary analysis of similar positions in comparable agencies; and
WHEREAS, the reclassification does not increase the number of authorized positions in the Town; and WHEREAS, the Assistant Town Manager classification has been determined to be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is placed in the Unrepresented Management group; and
WHEREAS, the Assistant Town Manager classification is an at-will position; and WHEREAS, the salary range for the Assistant Town Manager classification is as follows:
Assistant Town Manager Step A Step B Step C Step D Step E Monthly $15,900.00 $16,695.00 $17,530.00 $18,406.00 $19,327.00 WHEREAS, this action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378(b)(2), as it is a personnel-related administrative action that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax as follows:
Section 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein.
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
Section 2. The Deputy Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager position is hereby reclassified to Assistant Town Manager, effective October 16, 2026
Section 3. The Assistant Town Manager classification specification, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein, is hereby approved and adopted.
Section 4. The Town Manager, or designee, is authorized to take all actions necessary to implement this resolution, including updating the Town’s publicly available pay schedule.
The foregoing resolution was duly passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax held in said Town on the 7th day of October 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
_______________________________
STEPHANIE HELLMAN
MAYOR
ATTEST:
____________________________
LINDA KENTON
ELECTED TOWN CLERK
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
EXHIBIT A
Assistant Town Manager Classification Specification
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
Classification Specification
ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER
Department Town Manager’s Office
Reports To Town Manager
FLSA Status Exempt
Employee Group Unrepresented Management
Salary Range Pursuant to the adopted Management Resolution Council Approval Resolution No. ______
Effective Date ______________
DEFINITION
Under administrative direction of the Town Manager, serves as the Town’s second-ranking executive officer. Plans, organizes, directs, and coordinates the activities and operations of assigned Town departments, divisions, and functions; exercises authority delegated by the Town Manager in the day-today administration of the Town; directs the Town’s human resources, risk management, contract and franchise administration, and grant programs; manages the Town Council agenda process and provides executive-level support to the Town Council; oversees and performs the functions of the Office of the Town Clerk as prescribed by the Fairfax Municipal Code, the California Government Code, the Elections Code, and Fair Political Practices Commission regulations; envisions and oversees civic engagement and communication strategies; and serves as Town Manager Pro Tempore when designated.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This single-position executive management classification serves as the principal assistant to the Town Manager and exercises significant independent judgment and discretion within broad policy guidelines.
The incumbent is responsible for the overall administration, policy development, program planning, and fiscal management of assigned areas and for furthering Town-wide goals and objectives, and is expected to act on behalf of the Town Manager on a wide range of administrative, operational, and policy matters.
The Assistant Town Manager is distinguished from the Town Manager in that the Town Manager is appointed by the Town Council and serves as the administrative head of the Town with overall responsibility for all Town operations, as set forth in Fairfax Municipal Code Chapter 2.12. It is distinguished from the Assistant to the Town Manager/Deputy Town Clerk classification in that the Assistant Town Manager exercises delegated line authority over assigned departments and management staff, directs Town-wide human resources, risk management, and labor relations functions, and acts on behalf of the Town Manager rather than in a staff support capacity.
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
The Town Clerk is an elected office in the Town of Fairfax. The Assistant Town Manager serves as Deputy Town Clerk and is the principal administrative official responsible for carrying out the statutory and operational functions of the Office of the Town Clerk.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives administrative direction from the Town Manager and policy direction from the Town Council as communicated through the Town Manager.
Exercises direct and indirect supervision over assigned department heads and management, professional, technical, and administrative support staff, including staff of the Office of the Town Clerk.
Provides functional and technical direction to consultants and contractors retained by the Town.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The following duties are representative of the work performed in this classification and are not intended to be all-inclusive. Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Executive Leadership and Town-wide Administration
• Assist the Town Manager in developing and implementing Town-wide goals, objectives, policies, and priorities; participate as a member of the Town’s executive leadership team. • Serve as Town Manager Pro Tempore during the temporary absence or disability of the Town Manager when designated pursuant to Fairfax Municipal Code Section 2.12.050, and serve as Acting or Interim Town Manager when appointed by the Town Council. • Plan, organize, coordinate, and direct, directly or through department heads, the work of assigned departments, divisions, and functions; establish goals, work standards, and performance measures; review and evaluate program and service delivery. • Coordinate day-to-day operations among Town departments; convene and facilitate department head meetings; resolve interdepartmental issues; track progress on Town Council priorities and adopted work plans.
• Direct the conduct of studies, surveys, and research on complex operational, organizational, and administrative problems; analyze findings and recommend practical solutions to the Town Manager and Town Council.
• Develop proposals for current and future Town needs; recommend organizational, staffing, and operational improvements and alternative methods of service delivery. • Participate in the development and administration of the Town’s annual operating budget; prepare and administer budgets for assigned departments and functions; monitor and approve expenditures; recommend budget adjustments.
• Investigate and respond to complaints and inquiries from residents, businesses, and Town Council members regarding Town services and administration; resolve sensitive and complex issues.
• Oversee the Town’s information technology activities, systems, and vendor relationships.
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
Town Council Support and Agenda Management
• Direct and manage the Town Council agenda process, including agenda planning with the Town Manager and Mayor; review staff reports for quality, completeness, and legal compliance; and ensure preparation and publication of agenda packets within the timelines required by the Ralph M. Brown Act and other transparency laws.
• Support the Town Manager in Town Council relations; respond to Council member inquiries and prepare informational memoranda and presentations, consistent with the Council-Manager relationship established in Fairfax Municipal Code Section 2.12.080. • Attend all regular and special Town Council meetings; establish and manage procedures and technology for in-person, hybrid, and virtual meetings. • Advise the Town Council and Town boards, commissions, and committees on meeting procedures, parliamentary practice, and open meeting requirements. • Oversee the administration of Town boards, commissions, and committees, including recruitment, appointments, rosters, and member orientation, and coordinate the annual appointment of Council Members to regional and outside agency boards.
Human Resources and Personnel
• Direct the Town’s human resources program, including recruitment, selection, onboarding, classification and compensation, performance evaluation, and separation processes. • Develop, interpret, and administer personnel rules, regulations, and policies consistent with Fairfax Municipal Code Chapters 2.56 and 2.60, applicable memoranda of understanding, the Management Resolution, and state and federal employment law. • Oversee employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, disciplinary actions, and grievances, in consultation with the Town Attorney and labor counsel. • Oversee benefits administration and CalPERS compliance; coordinate leave administration and the interactive process for reasonable accommodation under the ADA and FEHA. • Maintain confidential personnel records; prepare required personnel and employment reports for federal and state agencies.
• Coordinate Town-wide training, professional development, and compliance programs, including mandated training for staff and elected officials.
Labor Relations
• Support the Town Manager and the Town’s labor negotiator in meet-and-confer processes with employee bargaining units; prepare compensation surveys, cost analyses, and bargaining proposals.
• Administer and interpret memoranda of understanding and the Management Resolution; advise supervisors and managers on contract provisions and ensure compliance with the Meyers-MiliasBrown Act.
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
Risk Management
• Oversee the Town’s risk management program, including intake and processing of claims under the Government Claims Act and coordination of property, liability, and workers’ compensation claims with the Town’s risk-sharing pool, third-party administrators, and the Town Attorney. • Review contracts, agreements, and permits for insurance and indemnification requirements; maintain certificates of insurance.
• Oversee workplace safety programs, including the Injury and Illness Prevention Program; serve as the Town’s representative or alternate to risk-sharing joint powers authorities as designated.
Contracts, Franchises, and Grants
• Oversee the Town’s contract administration, including preparation, review, execution, tracking, compliance monitoring, and renewal of agreements; coordinate purchasing in accordance with the Town’s purchasing ordinance.
• Administer the Town’s franchise agreements; monitor franchisee compliance and performance; investigate and resolve service complaints.
• Identify and pursue grant funding opportunities; prepare and oversee grant applications; administer awarded grants and ensure compliance with reporting, expenditure, and audit requirements.
Office of the Town Clerk
• Direct all functions of the Office of the Town Clerk as prescribed by the Fairfax Municipal Code, State Constitution, Government Code, Elections Code, and Fair Political Practices Commission regulations; develop and monitor the Town Clerk’s Office budget. • Serve as the Elections Official, coordinating the even-year consolidated general municipal election with the Marin County Registrar of Voters and managing any special election resulting from a qualified initiative, referendum, or recall petition.
• Serve as custodian of official Town records and public documents; perform attestation and certification of legal documents and records and affix the Town seal as required; administer the Town’s records management program and retention schedule. • Oversee the preparation of summary action minutes of Town Council meetings and the maintenance and dissemination of adopted ordinances, resolutions, policies, and agreements. • Act as filing officer for campaign disclosure statements and Statements of Economic Interests; coordinate the biennial review of the Town’s Conflict of Interest Code; administer the provisions of the Political Reform Act.
• Administer the California Public Records Act, including oversight of the Town’s response to all public records requests.
• Direct the posting and publication of legal notices; coordinate codification of adopted ordinances into the Fairfax Municipal Code; administer oaths of office to elected officials, Town officials, and appointees.
• Oversee, and perform as needed, administrative and Deputy Town Clerk support functions, including agenda packet assembly, records processing, and public counter and customer service.
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
Communications, Civic Engagement, and Intergovernmental Relations • Envision and oversee the Town’s civic engagement and communication strategies, including the Town website, social media, newsletters, press releases, and emergency public information; serve as Public Information Officer as assigned.
• Assist the Town Council and Town Manager in intergovernmental relations; act as liaison with other governmental jurisdictions and regional agencies; track state and federal legislation, evaluate its potential impact on the Town, and prepare related positions, correspondence, and advocacy.
• Represent the Town before community organizations, civic groups, outside agencies, and professional associations.
Emergency Management and Other Duties
• Perform duties as a Disaster Service Worker under California Government Code Sections 3100– 3109; serve in an Emergency Operations Center role as assigned, consistent with Fairfax Municipal Code Chapter 2.52.
• Attend conferences, trainings, and regional meetings to remain current on laws, policies, and best practices affecting assigned areas of responsibility.
• Attend meetings on evenings, weekends, and holidays as required. • Perform related duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
• Principles and practices of public administration, including the organization, operation, and functions of municipal government under the Council-Manager form of government. • Principles and practices of executive leadership, organizational management, strategic planning, program development, and performance evaluation.
• Principles of municipal finance, budgeting, purchasing, and contract administration. • Principles and practices of public-sector human resources administration, including recruitment, classification and compensation, benefits administration, employee relations, and labor relations under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act.
• Principles and practices of public-sector risk management, claims administration, and workplace safety.
• Grant research, application, administration, and compliance requirements. • The Ralph M. Brown Act, California Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, Elections Code, and Government Code provisions pertaining to the Office of the Town Clerk. • Records management principles, including records retention law. • Principles and practices of civic engagement, public information, and community relations. • Principles and practices of supervision, training, team building, and conflict resolution. • Information technology systems in a municipal network environment, and modern office software applications.
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
Ability to:
• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate the work of multiple departments, functions, and staff; delegate authority and responsibility effectively.
• Analyze complex administrative, organizational, and policy problems; evaluate alternatives; project consequences; and make sound recommendations and decisions. • Exercise sound independent judgment and discretion within general policy guidelines, and act on behalf of the Town Manager.
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, memoranda of understanding, and procedures. • Select, supervise, train, motivate, and evaluate staff. • Prepare and administer budgets; prepare clear, concise, and accurate reports, staff reports, correspondence, and policies.
• Make effective presentations to the Town Council, boards and commissions, community groups, and outside agencies.
• Handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and political acumen. • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the Town Council, Town staff, other agencies, community organizations, and the public, and foster a collaborative team environment. • Manage multiple priorities and meet critical deadlines, including statutory deadlines, in an environment with frequent interruptions.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:
Education: Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public administration, business administration, communications, political science, or a closely related field. Additional qualifying experience as described below may substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis. A master’s degree in public administration or a closely related field is desirable.
Experience: Six years of increasingly responsible professional administrative experience in municipal government, including at least three years performing executive, management, or department head-level duties, such as in a Town or City Manager’s Office or a Town or City Clerk’s Office.
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES
• Possession of a valid California driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record. • Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation is highly desirable; Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation is desirable.
Town of Fairfax ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No.
• Professional training or certification in human resources, labor relations, or risk management is desirable.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment with frequent interruptions and deadlines, with occasional work in the field at community meetings, public events, work sites, and the Emergency Operations Center. The employee regularly sits for extended periods at a desk and in meetings; uses a computer keyboard and video display; communicates in person, by telephone, and in public meetings; and occasionally stands, walks, bends, reaches, and lifts or moves materials weighing up to 25 pounds.
The employee regularly works extended hours, including evenings and weekends, and interacts with elected officials, staff, other agencies, and members of the public, some of whom may be upset or confrontational.
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. This classification specification does not constitute an employment agreement between the Town of Fairfax and any employee and is subject to change by the Town as its needs and the requirements of the position change. This is an at-will position.