David Hromco, who is returning from retirement temporarily to manage Solon's deer culling this winter, will earn $40 per hour.

The contract with Hromco was approved by city council this week. It runs through March 31, and maxes out at 150 hours. So the most Hromco can earn on the job is $6,000.

Hromco will also be issued a city cell phone and have access, if needed, to a city vehicle.

The city had to bring in Hromco, who managed the deer culling program when he was an assistant public works director before he retired, after Public Works Commissioner Jim Stanek retired at the New Year.

Mayor Susan Drucker said she has been able to spread some of the deer management duties to other employees, but they still needed someone to run it.

Sharpshooters working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture expect to begin deer culling next week, depending on conditions of the sites.

The culling efforts will take place on private property and city-owned property that is off-limits or closed, such as Grantwood Golf Course and the sewage plant. Drucker said that property owners adjacent to hunting sites have been notified by certified mail.

According to the city's deer plan, Hunters will bait deer and shoot from stationary areas; they will not be roaming the properties. Solon Police officers will secure the sites during hunting.