The contract for Milton's newly hired city manager, Billy Preston Beckett, has the standard stuff. Including: a $137,000 salary, $600 car allowance, 12 months severance pay, a 401(k) plan.

Then there's a perk you don't see everyday: Beckett will be allowed to take vacation time during the Arena Football League season to travel as a referee.

"As long as he gets his city manager job done, I'm OK with it," said Mayor Joe Lockwood.

Eight months after its first city manager departed, the Milton City Council hired Beckett, former Riverdale city manager and longtime Fayette County administrator.

Beckett said in an earlier interview his priorities for now are pretty basic — get to know the city staff members; get up to speed for projects already in the pipeline, and familiarize himself with the contract with CH2M Hill-OMI, which was hired by the city to provide day-to-day services.

Becket served as Riverdale city manager from 2000-04, and as Fayette County administrator from 1985-2000.

Before coming to Georgia, Beckett worked in Raleigh County, W. Va.; Franklin County, Va.; and Collier County in southwest Florida.

Beckett, 59, holds a Master of Urban Affairs, Public Management from Virginia Tech, and has completed all work except the thesis for Master of Urban and Regional Planning.

Most recently, he was a city manager in Florida.

He also served in the U.S. Army from 1970-72.