Annapolis Capital Punishment

The below is from civic activist Doug Smith and is based on what occurred at the most recent city council meeting. We thank Doug for his work on behalf of bettering Annapolis. Just when you thought Ellen "O" could not cause any further damage, she tried to pull this one off:

At City Council (July 13 09) Ordinance-40-09 was a wonderful little gem that popped up at the last minute. Introduced by Mayor Moyer, this ordinance would modify city code to grant six months severance to any department director who is removed from office by the Mayor. And the terminated employee gets 6 months pay if fired, with or without cause. Supposedly this would come into effect when a new mayor takes office and starts to clear out non-performers. And to pay severance even if fired with cause is crazy.

If a person is fired for cause, they are walked out the door, no severance. Termination for Cause means you have done a lousy job – a really lousy job, or you stole money or harassed employees… all bad things. And by no means should a city employee get severance when fired for cause.

This was just first reader, not up for public hearing, but I felt strongly that this had to be addressed immediately. I spoke in opposition to this legislation

Severance, if even part of an employment agreement, is discussed at time of hiring, not when an employee is worried about getting fired. The mayor informed me that the 6-month package was an industry standard. I can tell you, quite clearly, there is no standard, sometimes there is no severance, or maybe 2 weeks notice, or maybe severance based on years of service. But in these times, there certainly are not 6-month severance packages being cooked up months before you expect people to leave.

We have many good city employees – if they are doing a good job, they should not be worried about getting fired. However, some department heads may be worried, since they were a political appointees, that they are at risk. Doesn’t this give us another good example of why we need a professional city manager? A city manager would be monitoring employees all the time, he/she would be hiring good people, and firing poor performers, regardless of politics.

To offer severance packages to everyone appointed by the mayor, just prior to a change in administration, drives home the point that politics again trumps competency. Offering severance packages re-enforces the notion that the old mayor expects all of his/ her appointments to be thrown out by the new mayor. The new mayor comes in, and makes the decision that all of the old gang need to go so the new mayor can bring in all of his/ her hand-picked people. That is a lousy way to run a railroad. A new mayor should set policy – that is what they were elected to do. The operations part of the city – the people doing the administrative tasks, should be hired (and retained) on skill, not politics.

Following my statements at City council, I received over 100 e-mails supporting my statements, and one opposing my position. The gist of e-mails:

+ no one gets 6 months severance
+ this is a pure and simple give away to moyer’s friends.
+ this is terrible to saddle next administration with an un-funded liability
+ Trudy McFall put the cost at more than $700,000
+ Political appointees knew when they hired on, they were political appointees.
+ Shows the mayor has no concept of tax payer money – this is not her money to give away.
+ Severance, even if fired for cause! That is crazy.

Alice in Wonderland –off with their heads! Judgment first, then the trial.

Outcome: When the ordinance came up on the agenda, it did not receive a second. It is dead on arrival.

Thanks to Doug Smith!

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