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Government bureaucrats are paid very well when they quit their jobs in Scottsdale!!!!
Exits by officials costly for Scottsdale $328,000 paid in 4 years for deals with managers by Beth Duckett - Jul. 14, 2012 09:21 PM The Republic | azcentral.com Scottsdale taxpayers have forked over $328,000 in the last four years to settle acrimonious departures by city mangers who differed with a majority of the City Council. David Richert's departure on July 2 marked the latest casualty in the struggle to retain a top administrative officer in Scottsdale. Richert's two predecessors -- John Little and Jan Dolan -- also parted ways similarly amid a growing discord with some elected officials at City Hall, though exact reasons for their departures differ. The Scottsdale City Council last week signed off on a settlement agreement with Richert, who abruptly resigned the previous week citing a lack of council support to remain an effective city manager. The price tag: $45,000. In exchange, Richert agreed not to bring any lawsuits against the city. The vote to pay the settlement was 7-0. The amount represents three months' pay for Richert, who would have received the same in severance upon his termination, according to his contract. The cost is considerably less than the severance packages awarded to former city manager Little and his predecessor, Dolan, who received $123,000 and $160,000, respectively. Little was dismissed by the City Council in 2009 amid staunch disagreements with the mayor and some council members. At the time, Mayor Jim Lane said Little was not cooperative or open and failed to give input in meetings. Lane declined to talk about the specifics behind the settlement payment to Richert, citing the fact that the matter was discussed in an executive session prior to the public vote to pay the money. Executive sessions are not open to the public but are allowed in order to discuss certain topics, such as personnel or legal matters. However, final votes must be taken in public. Councilman Bob Littlefield, a frequent critic of Richert's policies, said he had no qualms with the payment. "I'm not concerned at all (about the payment)," he said. "The bottom line is, like I've said, I believe I didn't like the way Dave was handling things. I'm happy to see he is moving on to other opportunities. I think the money was well spent." Little, Richert's predecessor, didn't have much to say about Richert's departure, other than to suggest it was no surprise. "I would only offer that David's resignation did not strike me as a bolt out of the blue," said Little, who declined further comment. Dolan ended her nearly eight-year term in 2008 through a "voluntary severance" agreement with the council, which had divided bitterly over her termination. Some members cited poor morale among city staff as a reason. In addition to the string of city managers, the council in 2009 voted to terminate the contract of former City Attorney Deborah Robberson, at a cost of $105,200. Mayor supports resignation Lane, who this year is seeking re-election, cited several reasons for supporting Richert's resignation, among them his apparent failure to disclose certain information. An e-mail sent to Richert from Human Resources Executive Director Terry Welker claimed that facts presented to council members about a reduction in the city's police force were misleading. According to Lane, the e-mail should have been shared with council members in the wake of claims about high attrition among police officials, which proved to be false, he said. "It's relevant information since we had quite a bit of discussion about those programs and the reasons for the implementation for some of the advanced proposals that a compensation crisis existed," Lane said. In the meantime, Richert's departure appears to have generated more questions than answers at City Hall. Given that it's an election year in Scottsdale, some have wondered how long the City Council should wait to appoint a successor. In addition to the mayor's position, three other council seats are up for grabs. Aside from Lane, only one incumbent, Suzanne Klapp, is seeking re-election. So, in January, Scottsdale will have at least two new faces on the council, which is in charge of appointing a city manager and setting the compensation. Richert's salary was $180,000. "I don't think there is any reason to rush (the appointment), but I also don't think there's any particular reason to delay it," Lane said. Not surprisingly, Lane's opponents favor waiting until January or later. Drew Bernhardt and John Washington are seeking to replace Lane in the city's Aug. 28 primary. "The fact we've had three city managers in four years shows me there is a disconnect between the council and its vision and leadership, and the city manager's ability to do the job and represent the views of the people effectively," said Bernhardt. Washington said he hoped there would be an opportunity to choose a manager "who wants to do what the new City Council wants to do, which hopefully will focus back on resident input and the General Plan." The city manager develops the city's $1.2 billion budget, implements the council's policies, and oversees services and a workforce of 2,500 employees. Scottsdale Public Works Executive Director Dan Worth will take over as acting city manager. Republic reporter Peter Corbett contributed to this article. |