Neighbors, at the March 7th City Council meeting we also discussed the proposed City Manager contract explained at: https://heidifrancoheber.com/2023/03/04/citymanagerscontract/ This agenda item was continued to the next March 21st City Council meeting starting at 6 pm.
At that meeting, I explained why the ‘termination for cause’ appeals process would create new, expensive liabilities for the city without resolving termination disputes.
See the manager’s proposed contract at: https://heber-ut.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1172&meta_id=100659
Consider these questions on the Proposed City Manager Contract:
- Why would the City Council agree to let an ‘at will’ employee appeal their termination to the courts and potentially have the City pay attorneys’ fees?
- Why does the City Manager want these new ‘one-sided’ ‘termination for cause’ protections right now when his existing contract is good until September 2024? What is the rush?
- Why does the City need to give this much protection to an ‘at will employee’ when a generous severance package is already part of his contract if ‘terminated without cause’?
- Shouldn’t the City Council wait until next year, when the current contract expires, to negotiate a new contract with the city manager? This November we are electing three council members and waiting gives who is elected the opportunity to negotiate the contract.
- Why does this City Council want to lock in a future city council with a rushed, one-sided contract?
Remember that ‘at will’ employees have severance packages in their contracts because they are ‘at will.’ The City Manager is the highest paid city employee because of being ‘at will.’
Yet City ‘merit’ employees are regularly hired, lower paid, with an appeals process before termination, but do not receive any severance.
The proposed city manager contract is trying have it both ways at the City’s expense.
I don’t know of any of City that gives this much protection to an ‘at will employee.’ It’s not wise and creates a expensive, hazardous precedent for the future.
Please let the City County know your thoughts about this proposed new contract for the city manager at: ccpublic@heberut.gov .
The Mayor's Report 