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GM Regina Kennedy (above) has been with the utility department for more than 37 years
By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- LaFollette Utility Board members reviewed and approved General Manager Regina Kennedy’s performance review, contract and salary at Monday’s workshop and meeting.
Nine items or criteria were looked at on the performance review and Kennedy’s showed that she “exceeded expectations” after review points were tallied. The performance review had a max score of 135 points, and Kennedy’s score was 123 points.
TOP PHOTO: LaFollette Utility General Manager Regina Kennedy gave an update during Monday’s LUB workshop, reporting that the Norman Road water extension project is expected to start July 14th.
Board member Jay Willoughby said that this was the first time the board had a formal general review for a general manager in the nine years he had served on the board.
The five-year contract was approved on the condition that four modifications are made. When it came to discussion on salary, Board member Jay Willoughby said other utility directors made more and that the salary needed increased.
“There is more responsibility here than our neighbors in Jellico and Jacksboro, and we need to raise this,” Willoughby said.
He made a motion to set the salary at $225,000 plus any cost of living that would be given to full-time employees; the motion was unanimously approved.
Board members discussed Kennedy’s contract and changes that need made. It is a five-year contract, with a “12-month buyout for termination without cause.”
Willoughby said some things “need fine-tuned”, specifically the part that discusses severance pay.
“If we terminate without cause, the contract says the utility will pay severance in a lump sum. I think we need to drop the lump sum and, instead leave it set up as a payroll function. That way, there is no sudden drain on the cash reserve,” Willoughby said.
After discussion, board members decided to specify that how the severance pay is made would be “at the sole discretion of LUB.”
Willoughby also suggested that part of the contract regarding long term and short-term disability should be deleted, citing it was already covered in LUB’S employment handbook.
Two other language changes will be made to the contract as well.
In the end, Kennedy’s contract was approved by the board on the condition that those four changes are made.
Kennedy thanked the board for renewing her contract and said she was “very humbled.”
She has been with the utility department for more than 37 years and transitioned to the GM position last year.
“Thank you, not just for this evening, but I want to thank each one of you for your support over the past year. It has been a learning experience for me, and I appreciate very much your patience with me as I am learning and trying to do the best I can for LaFollette Utilities, for the customers, for the board, the employees and for everyone,” Kennedy said.
She closed Monday’s meeting with board comments and expressed her thanks to exiting board attorney Kathy Parrott and welcomed LUB’s new attorney Reid Troutman on board.
The next LaFollette Utility Board workshop is set for Monday, July 28, at 6 pm, with the meeting set to follow immediately after. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-07/01/2025-6AM)