City Manager Wants to Leave Job
John Schneiger isn't happy with his bosses, and they want to sever his contract, which could cost the city an estimated $44,000.
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It looks like New Port Richey is losing its city manager.
John Schneiger took time off early last month and has been out of the office since then, and it looks like he doesn’t have a desire to return to the job.
“He feels that he has lost the support of the majority of council,” said Mayor Bob Consalvo at a council meeting Tuesday. “He does not feel that he can be an effective leader, at this point, with the city.
"...At this point, he has no desire to come back and work in the city,” Consalvo said later.
Schneiger’s employment agreement with the city is a “continuing contract,” said Consalvo. The only options the city has are to sever the contract or continue Schneiger's contract and then fire him, which would require 45 days notice per city code, or take another action to remove him. Schneiger is up for his yearly evaluation Nov. 1.
Schneiger is in favor of an “amiable” separation with the city, Consalvo said, and is proposing the city pay him a severance package.
The package is estimated to be worth $44,000 and is covered in the contract, Consalvo said. The package includes 4.5 months of pay, vacation pay and sick and medical benefits.
If the city council agrees to sever the contract, Schneiger will agree to not pursue legal action against the city or talk negatively about the city, and the city would agree not to talk negatively about him.
Consalvo called on the council to have a special meeting on Oct.9 for the city to take a final decision on whether to sign off on severing the contract with Schneiger. That would also be his last day.
The council could not take action on the Schneiger's separation Tuesday because the contract was not on the agenda, but they agreed to hold the meeting on the 9th to vote on paying out the severance agreement to Schneiger.
“My feeling is that it doesn’t appear that the two entities can work together anymore,” Consalvo said. “We’ve lost faith both ways. It looks like the sooner that we do something, the sooner that we can go out and seek a new city manager so we can get the city back on track.”
Schneiger was not at the city council meeting Tuesday and probably won’t come to the Oct. 9 one. He took medical leave around Sept. 11 and is now on vacation leave, although he sat down with Consalvo Monday to express his feelings about wanting to leave.
The city has been confronted with dire financial predictions. It has been struggling with money problems since before Schneiger was hired for the job in May 2010. Recent budget negotiations were not a happy affair, resulting in the layoffs of eight city employees.
Councilman Bill Phillips said that the way Schneiger's contract was written, it doesn’t give the city many options. He said he thinks the city needs to have a different type of contract should it hire a new city manager.
“This perpetualism here…it’s just not right going forward,” he said. “You end up basically paying someone to go away.”
He said he’d liked to see the city sever the contract with Schneiger.
City Councilman Bob Langford said, “I’d like to give him what he’s asking for and just move on.”
“I think a lot of people don’t understand that this is a council-manager form of government, and he takes his direction from us. I think he takes a lot of blame for the direction that we give him.?
Deputy Mayor Rob Marlowe said he was “disappointed” in Schneiger’s decision.
“He was a great manager when we hired him,” he said. “He has done an enormous amount for the city. But I also recognize the toll it’s taken on him."
Consalvo said he wants his fellow city council members to think about having a stand-in for Schneiger until they find a replacement.
Schneiger was not available for comment.
Sandra Dornick
9:36 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The statement: City Councilman Bob Langford said, “I’d like to give him what he’s asking for and just move on.” “I think a lot of people don’t understand that this is a council-manager form of government, and he takes his direction from us. I think he takes a lot of blame for the direction that we give him."
The obvious question would be what direction(s) is the council giving him that he takes blame for? Is the council the issue or part of the problem?
Stan O'Brien
11:06 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I agree with Sandra Dorick's comment regarding Bob Langford . most of Sandy,s
Comments are right on the money.
Stan O'B.
Rob Marlowe
11:14 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The council charged John with cleaning up a number of long standing problems that date back over years and a number of previous city managers. John worked to the best of his ability to address those problems. The required changes did not set well with some folks who were perfectly happy to continue doing whatever they pleased regardless of the rules.
The council charged John with developing a multi-year view of the city's financial future and what he came back with was not pretty. The budget for the coming year required layoffs and other cuts that were not popular. John and his staff developed the budget under the guidelines that council set and council adopted the budget.
To at least some extent, his loss of support among council members is a case of us shooting the messenger because we didn't like the message.
Sherry
11:46 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I also agree with Sandra. Unfortunately, now the city is basically going to flush $44,000 for nothing! This could have gone to the salary of one or more of those employees that wanted to "keep", but no longer have their job! I always liked the job that John was doing and thought that he was good for the city. Being the good person that he portrayed himself to be, it would surprise me that he would even hold the city to the contracted severance package. John, if your the one wanting out and plan to walk away from your contractual obligations, shouldn't you allow the city to do the same?
m.c.
12:09 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Sounds like there are problems with the council that need to be addressed. Shame it got to the point where he quit. If he is a good manager perhaps they could work out their issues and he can remain the manager.
Ellen Turner
12:54 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
So...no more meetings with the City Manager? Not surprised, this city is in shambles anyway....sorry to say. Never dealt with the reality of the economics in this city...that the working poor, make up the vast majority of NPR citizens.
Brian
3:05 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Say good bye. Maybe if you pay him what he is asking for he will go on a diet. Worst of all you will see him at golden corral at the buffet///
Bob Langford
4:16 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I can’t add too much to what Deputy Mayor Marlowe said as he’s hit the high points of the problems. John did work very hard in trying to do the best he could in correcting problems that have been with us for a long time. Many of the problems that the city faced and is still facing has been engrained in the culture of the city which is hard to change. Most of our city culture is good but we’ve also gone along with things that are not so good. Change is a hard thing for folks to accept, most times we are complacent and that’s easier for a while until it’s impossible to work around.
When looking where the city is financially the Council needed to be proactive in correcting and cleaning up decisions that have been detrimental to us. When we projected out our 5 year plan it wasn’t pretty and it became very evident that we needed to make some changes. In most cases drastic changes for the good of the city as a whole. Some of the changes made this year, in my opinion, should have started at least a year or two ago had we only known our true financial condition and had the backbone to act. It’s not over either.
John was in the middle. The City Manager gets overall direction from the Council and has to implement those policies in the best way possible. There’s no way to make everyone happy. And as long at the “rumor-mill” is active in perpetuating false allegations it will only become harder. I still say, let's put this behind us and move forward.
Nancy MacDonald
7:32 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I thought John was a good manager period. He used effective tools to include the public such as in his open city manager's meetings. I never heard him become defensive. He listened. His manner in speaking with people was considerate, he expressed his thoughts with a depth of understanding, and always had a smile and a warm, cordial manner. I assume he thought it was time to cut and run if he had done as much as he could and that he saw no results and the stress might have been taking it's toll on him. Better to get himself into a situation that he can live with than to keep beating his head against a wall. Nancy
Judy Lozaw
7:41 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Why do these cities draw up these stupid contracts to pay them when they don't
show up for work? If you don't do your job, you are fired. There are plenty
of people looking for jobs. College graduates looking for a start.
Michael Malterer
8:09 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The City Manager is not to blame. The City Council has been the problem for years. We need to return the size and scope of the City Government to protecting citizens and not buying up vacant property all over the city while running our city into millions of dollars of debt.