He only just retired last winter, but David Spillman, the City of Calistoga former Administrative Services Director, is back — this time as a financial consultant for his old bosses, the Calistoga City Council.

On a 4-1 vote at the June 16 Calistoga City Council meeting, the council approved a $16,676 contract with Spillman to help the City ramp up its plan to raise water and sewer rates shortly after the start of 2010.

The lone dissenter, Councilmember Gary Kraus, didn’t give a definitive answer explaining his opposition vote, except to say that he didn’t care to hire a city retiree who was also familiar with the city’s overall budget process, and who had once helped hire a consultant to do what he’s being hired to do at this time.

“I just don’t care for it,” Kraus said.

Hiring anyone else would have cost the city “considerably more,” said City Manager Jim McCann.

According to the terms of the contract, Spillman will serve for about 250 days, or through the remainder of the year. The city plans to roll out its new water and sewer rates in January 2010.

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