MICHAEL KOVACS Port Aransas City Manager Michael Kovacs performed his job well during Hurricane Ike's threatened landing in the area.

He had a plan for every contingency and he worked very well with Mayor Claude Brown during the event that unfolded in September when Ike was predicted to hit the Corpus Christi area, said City Councilman Keith McMullin.

McMullin said he will consider Kovacs' performance when he joins the Port Aransas City Council in an annual evaluation of the city manager during tonight's (Thursday, Dec. 18) regular meeting.

"The consensus is that he is doing a good job and is an asset for this community. This past year I was impressed with the way he worked with the mayor and city staff for Hurricane Ike's preparation," McMullin said.

"He practiced, and it paid off. It was a nervewracking experience, but he was prepared and had a plan laid out for any eventuality. The law says the mayor makes decisions (during emergency situations), but he needs someone to help with a plan. Michael worked very well with the mayor on that," he said.

This will be McMullin's third evaluation for Kovacs, who took the job for an annual salary of $75,000 and a monthly car allowance in December 2004.

The city council has given Kovacs a raise and an increase in auto allowance and severance pay in the years they have conducted an annual evaluation.

According to contract documents, Kovacs currently earns more than $90,000 annually.

Kovacs, 36, moved to Port Aransas with his wife and three sons from North Carolina, where he had served as city administrator for Surfside Beach.

He also had served as city manager in Presidio for two years.

The city manager previously lived in the Corpus Christi area, and attended Del Mar College. He earned degrees in political science and criminal justice from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and he also holds a master's degree in public administration from the same institution.

McMullin said Kovacs helped secure two winning bond elections for city streets by doing his homework, surveying the "good, bad and horrible" streets, and working with the city engineer and public works director to put together a plan of action to fix the ones that need repairs.

"They put together a good action plan and presented it to the voters, and they came and supported it. Michael gets credit for putting that package together," McMullin said.

"We're blessed for a community of our size to have someone with his skills set. We appreciate him and I hope he understands that," he said.