Former Gun Barrel City Manager Gerry Boren spent little time out of work after the City Council made a settlement and separation agreement with him in September.

What's more, Boren took an extra $60,000 with him from Gun Barrel City to his new job. He will be paid his Gun Barrel City salary through March 31, 2016.

The Diboll City Council named former Gun Barrel City Manager as its new city manager Nov. 23.

Diboll, population 5,354 as of the 2010 Census, is in Angelina County in the Piney Woods in deep East Texas. Houston is 109 miles south of Diboll, which was founded in 1894 and named in honor of a timber salesman, J.C. Diboll, who worked for a local sawmill.

The Lufkin News reported that Diboll Mayor John McClain praised Boren’s experience. “He’s had a lot of experience,” McClain said of Boren. “He had 15 years as a city manager at two locations. He’s very outgoing, and he’ll get out into the community and meet people. We did an extensive background check, and everything was positive. I think he’s going to be a good addition to our community.”

McClain said the city received 22 applications for the job to replace the former City Manager Dennis McDuffie, who announced in January he planned to retire before the end of the year.

Boren reached a settlement agreement with Gun Barrel City that provides for him to be paid his salary through March 31, 2016, plus all unused accrued vacation leave through his resignation date and payment of his health insurance through Dec. 31, 2015.

Boren agreed to release the city of any claims arising from his employment to include the filing of any administrative actions or litigation.

The agreement also required the signature of Boren’s wife, Marcie Boren. The couple agreed not to “make any statements in a public forum or format that disparage the city or any member of the council or city staff for a period of two years.”

Eckerman, who upon request from The Monitor released the severance agreement and financial information pertaining to its execution, noted the preparation of the agreement by the City Attorney cost the city $3,400. Salary payments to Boren from September through March will total $60,000, she said.

Boren resigned from the post he held for eight years in Gun Barrel City Sept. 11 after he presented the new fiscal year 2015-2016 annual budget to the council. He left the meeting and his employment immediately after presenting the budget and visiting with the council in an executive session.

In his resignation letter Boren asked for notice to be waived so he could begin to immediately explore new employment opportunities. After the meeting, Mayor Dennis Baade declined to comment on reporters’ questions about what precipitated Boren’s decision to resign, noting that he had served the city well and he wished him good fortune.

Boren also declined to elaborate on the reasons for his departure, saying few city managers stay in the same position for as many years as he did. In addition to his time at Gun Barrel City, Boren served as the city manager of Fate in Rockwall County for seven years.

The council appointed City Secretary Christy Eckerman to serve in dual roles as city secretary and interim city manager until the city locates a new city manager to replace Boren permanently.