Brake to start new job in Michigan May 21

ROYAL OAK, MI – City Commissioners in Royal Oak, MI have unanimously approved the contract of their new city manager and current Morgantown City Manager Paul Brake. 


Brake will being his new job in Royal Oak on May 21 and will earn an annual salary of $150,000. The contract includes moving expenses, a $600 per month car allowance, $75 per month cell phone allowance and a $10,000 bonus if Brake establishes a permanent residence in Royal Oak within one year. 

“I think it’s a fair contract. I think it reflects that fact that we picked him above a number of other candidates and really are excited about the talents that he brings o this position,” said Royal Oak City Commissioner Patricia Paruch. “The fact that he’s eager and ready to jump in, I think is great.”

Commissioners voted unanimously on March 16 to offer the job to Brake, a little more than three years after started in Morgantown. 

During the Morgantown City Council meeting on April 7, Brake confirmed to council that he anticipated his last day on the job in Morgantown would be May 14. Also during the meeting, council approved a $48,000 budget revision, that included the costs of recruiting a new city manager. The search is expected to cost the city $25,000. 

Morgantown City Council is expected to name current Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli as the interim-city manager while a search is conducted for a permanent replacement for Brake. 

Brake was hired in Morgantown in January 2017 following the departure of Jeff Mikorski in August 2016.