Austin City Administrator Craig Clark is doing a good job, according to the Austin City Council.

Council members gave Clark a positive six-month review and preliminarily approved a $4,000 raise during a work session Monday.

Clark will see his salary retroactively increased to $128,000 a year as of June 8, once the council approves the raise during its next public meeting on July 6.

“We’re basically pretty happy,” Mayor Tom Stiehm told Clark.

Clark was hired by the council on Dec. 8 after almost a year without a city administrator. The council fired former administrator Jim Hurm in December 2013.

Since then, Clark has become a public face at various events and has connected with community leaders, which the council liked. In addition, the council pointed out Clark’s legislative efforts as a positive, as Clark testified before several House and Senate committees in favor of workforce housing initiatives. Clark is an executive committee member of the Greater Minnesota Partnership, a fiscal-minded offshoot of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities.

“It’s paying dividends,” Stiehm said. “It’s an aspect people haven’t had before.”

Council members hoped Clark could work more on economic development issues for the city and noted his leadership style was a little more observant than take-charge, but the council thought Clark had a good grasp on the job.

For his part, Clark said he and his family were happy to be a part of the community. He also welcomed the council to give him more feedback on issues.

“It’s a pleasure to be here,” he said.