By Staff Reports
A $170,578 figure tied to Seagoville’s top economic development job looks like a six figure salary. It is not. Public records show the number covers far more than pay.
A City Council agenda from April 15, 2024, described it as the total compensation package for the combined role of Seagoville Economic Development Corporation executive director and city economic development director.
The package included base salary, a car allowance, a phone allowance and employee benefits. The cost was split evenly, with the City of Seagoville and the SEDC each responsible for $85,289.
The agenda did not say how much of the total went to each category. More than two years later, residents still cannot find that breakdown.
Who Holds the Position
Kirk McDaniel is listed by the city and the SEDC as Director of Economic Development. SEDC documents have also identified him as executive director on economic development agreements.
A review of city financial documents, personnel information, council records and SEDC records found no current public document that itemizes his compensation. For that reason, $170,578 should not be called his current salary. It also cannot be called his verified current total cost to taxpayers.
What the Package Could Mean
The 2024 agenda leaves a wide range of possibilities open. A $100,000 salary with $70,000 in allowances and benefits would fit the total. So would a $130,000 salary with about $40,000 in other compensation.
Only payroll and benefit records can settle the question. The distinction also matters for comparisons with other cities. Most job postings advertise base salary, while Seagoville’s number bundles everything together.
Benefits Seagoville Provides
The city pays 100% of health and dental insurance for full time employees. It also offers disability insurance and life insurance equal to one times salary, with a minimum of $30,000. Employees receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, longevity pay, jury duty leave and bereavement leave.
Retirement comes through the Texas Municipal Retirement System. Employees contribute 7% of gross earnings, and the city describes its benefit as a 2 to 1 match.
The city’s audited financial statements show its actuarially determined TMRS contribution rate rose from 11.59% in 2024 to 15.53% in 2025.
The city contributed about $1.41 million to TMRS in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025. That rate cannot simply be applied to an assumed salary, because the real figure depends on his actual pensionable pay.
Budget Changes Add Uncertainty
An Aug. 24, 2026, budget presentation outlined a 3% pay increase for most employees outside police and fire. Some additional adjustments will come from a compensation study. The same presentation reported a 29.9% increase in city health care costs.
Those changes could affect what the position costs. The presentation gave no individual salary for McDaniel and did not explain how the changes apply to a jointly funded job. Adding 3% to $170,578 would therefore be an assumption.
No bonus or incentive authorization for the position turned up in the records reviewed. That does not prove none exists. It means none could be verified.
How Other Texas Cities Compare
The Texas Municipal League lists Seagoville’s population at 19,643.
Ennis, with 23,686 residents, advertised its economic development director job in 2025 at $125,381 to $175,545 a year.
Anna, now listed at 27,501 residents, advertised its 2024 opening at $117,178.67 to $175,768.01.
Athens, with 13,503 residents, began recruiting on Sept. 30, 2026. Its posted range is $75,268.96 to $109,924.40.
These are advertised salary ranges, not total compensation. They show wide variation across Texas communities. They do not show whether Seagoville pays too much or too little.
Why the Role Carries Weight
The SEDC is funded mainly by a dedicated half cent local sales tax. It oversees incentives, property projects, downtown work, business recruitment and agreements involving large public expenditures.
City officials said the SEDC adopted a budget with about $1.7 million in proposed revenue and $3.2 million in proposed spending for the coming fiscal year.
McDaniel’s SEDC biography says he leads negotiations, revitalization projects, incentive agreements and financial modeling.
Those duties can justify competitive pay. Economic development professionals often negotiate multimillion dollar deals against neighboring cities. Competitive pay and public transparency are still separate issues.
Questions Still Unanswered
Records that would answer these questions exist in payroll and personnel files. Residents could ask for the following:
- The position’s current base salary
- The annual cost of the car and phone allowances
- The taxpayer cost of health, dental, disability and life insurance
- The city and SEDC retirement contributions
- Any salary changes since 2024
- Whether the 50 percent split between the city and SEDC still applies
The issue is not whether an economic development director deserves a strong salary. It is whether residents can see exactly what taxpayers pay and compare it fairly with similar Texas communities.
