Lehi's new city administrator has one of the highest starting salaries in Utah County for his position.

Jamie Davidson, who began working in Lehi on Monday, will be paid $115,000 a year to run this city of 30,000, according to a copy of his employment contract obtained by the Daily Herald.

That starting salary is more than the top end of the salary range budgeted for the previous administrator, Ed Collins, according to city records. Collins's contract called for him to be paid $112,000 for fiscal year 2006, and the salary range for his position was $79,000 to $112,500, said Ron Foggin, city finance director.

Davidson was offered $35,000 more than the budgeted starting salary for the position because council members felt he was the most qualified applicant for the job.

His salary in Sandy, where he had worked for a decade and was assistant to the city administrator, was $113,000 with a comparable benefits package, said Lehi Mayor Howard Johnson.

Davidson's contract also calls for him to be paid a $500 monthly car stipend and additional fees for mileage if his job requires him to travel more than 50 miles from the city. He is also to receive a lump sum equal to six months' compensation as severance if he is terminated by the city.

A new salary range for Davidson's position has yet to be set by the City Council, Foggin said.

The city also released the names of the 22 applicants for the position, showing that former Eagle Mountain city administrator Chris Hillman, who was fired by a new mayor in that city, and Foggin had applied for the job.

According to a survey of salary ranges in Utah County cities of a comparable size, Davidson's starting salary is at the top-end range of similar positions in American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Spanish Fork and Springville.

Cathy Allred contributed to this story.

Salary ranges for city administrator, manager or chief of staff positions in Utah County cities:

Alpine $86,000 to $140,000

American Fork $65,000 to $83,000

Cedar Hills $67,000 to $100,000

Eagle Mountain $92,700

Highland $79,000 to $114,800

Lindon $62,400 to $93,400

Orem $94,480 to $141,720

Payson $85,791 to $111,797

Pleasant Grove $79,400 to $115,000

Provo $69,069 to $123,764

Salem not provided

Santaquin $59,446 to $85,841

Saratoga Springs $75,000 to $95,000

Spanish Fork $85,791 to $111,797

Springville $78,000 to $116,500

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B12.