When our city manager “retired” after 30 years of employment in that position, he asked to be rehired so that he could collect his pension in addition to his salary of $125,000.00. A public hearing was held, as required by law, and I was the only resident who spoke at that hearing, and the city council meeting that night. (If you want to see me in action-the video is posted on this website.)

I requested that the city manager be asked to make a presentation about his 30 years of service to the community, what his thoughts were  about the city’s current challenges and what his plans for the future were.

New ideas and fresh perspectives are valuable, and this was an opportunity for the city to interview for a new city manager. The current city manager should have also been given the opportunity to apply for the position. Maybe he would have had the best ideas, but we will never know. An opportunity to revitalize the city and communicate with residents about their city’s future was lost.

All but one of the City Council members voted to rehire the city manager that night. The city manager was not asked to make any presentation. From one day to the next he went to work knowing that his salary was essentially doubled. Additionally, the city provides him with a car and cell phone.

This has nothing to do with the city manager. It has everything to do with City Council and their decision to allow the city manager to double dip at the same time other city services were being cut and city workers were being  laid off and furloughed.

I recognize that this is a tough time financially for the city–that’s why I pledge to work for $1 a year for the first two years I am in office. I am willing to do my part for our community.

Maybe all city council members should do the same?

The Plain Dealer has published some articles about double-dipping recently.

Tags: double dipping