LEWISTON – Councilors defended a five-year contract with Administrator Jim Bennett Tuesday, saying the deal was in place to protect the city.

“It’s designed to keep the administrator in this job, and not let him use it as a springboard to something else,” City Councilor Lillian O’Brien said Tuesday.

Councilors unanimously renewed Bennett’s employment agreement, extending the five-year deal until March 2012. It includes a 2.2 percent cost-of-living increase, bringing Bennett’s salary up to $107,530.

Councilors hired Bennett away from the city of Westbrook in 2002, hoping he would be a longtime employee for the city. He replaced Bogdan Vitas, who resigned from the job after 11 months to take a position overseas.

“This provides him some job security, knowing we want him in the job for five years,” O’Brien said. “It means he doesn’t have to be looking for another one.”

The city also provides with Bennett a used police cruiser for transportation and $250 per month for home Internet, telephone and his cell phone.

Councilor Stavros Mendros said that’s a fair deal, considering what the council expects of Bennett.

“There is no other city employee I can call at 1 o’clock in the morning with a question or a concern,” Mendros said. “But I expect it of him, and I don’t have a problem paying for his cell phone.”