Tuesday’s City Council agenda was revised today to add this item, a request to issue an RFQ (request for qualifications) to help the city hire a search firm to replace outgoing City Manager Randy Oliver.
Tuesday’s City Council agenda was revised today to add this item, a request to issue an RFQ (request for qualifications) to help the city hire a search firm to replace outgoing City Manager Randy Oliver.
My two cents to the Council is not to use the firm that McKinney Texas utilize. As you may recall, Mr. Oliver clearly stated that he never applied for that job and never interviewed for that job. Yet somehow the search firm got him into the top three for consideration. I’m sure that we don’t want our City Council having to choose among candidates that have “never applied” for the Peoria City Manager position.
Not sure if it bothers anyone else, but I’m still troubled by all the double-speak about the resignation. He again asserts that he “resigned” and wasn’t doing so in lieu of termination. Yet, I’ve never heard of a severance package that pays you out if you resign. I’m sure if someone reviews the employment agreement we’ll find that he only gets severance if he was terminated and that he and the Council agreed to a legal settlement where he’d resign in lieu of termination and they’d pay his severance.
Under this scenario, they both win. He doesn’t have to list a termination on future employment applications and they don’t get a rap for terminating their only employee.
Amen Peo Proud! 🙂
So is that contract able to be FOIA’d?
Peo Proud – you seem to be annoyed by the way this handled, that it’s a win-win situaion. Appears you’d prefer to have a loser here, either Mr. Oliver or the Council. Well, from my perspective, I’m very pleased that both the Mayor, the Council and Mr Oliver have acted is such a professional manner. What a contrast to the Aaron Schock lead Dist 150 School Board and the Kay Rooyster situation where everyone came out as a loser. It appears simply that Mr. Oliver and the Council have concluded that after four years of working together, they would be more comfortable with a different working environment. No blame, no shame, just move get on with it.
Great points, Kat, I agree totally.
Am I the only one who read Sharp’s article in the PJS regarding the clause in the contract that allows the manager to resign and collect severance. All these wild accusations about lies and conspiracies is absurd. I suspect a little jealousy over the fact that professionals are acting that way. Kudo’s to the Mayor, Oliver and Council for their admirable behavior. This is good news for Peoria…class and respect at City Hall!
I read the pjstar article. I scan the blogs daily and this is the first time I have really noticed the nastiness of some posts on various blogs regarding the manager’s resignation. Oliver, I predict will be back in public life and let his family continue the consulting business. There is a great demand for city manager’s and with our record with employees we are on the short end. You remember Sandberg travelling to Minn to check out a candidate and then the guy said “no thanks”. Then the next guy used the city to boost his money in the job he had. All this nastiness will scare off any credible person and they will wonder why so many of us are so mean. I say goodbye and good luck to anyone who changes positions for whatever reason. Being terminated here would be a badge of honor as the list of people is long. Improve this towns image or keep it quiet.
You remember incorrectly. That candidate was “scared off” when Mayor Dave Ransburg went public over the candidate’s shortcomings before an offer was made. Blame Ransburg, not Sandberg. Ransburg wanted to break the bank to hire Bern Ewert.
Actually Katmandu, I’m not hoping for a loser – just some straight talking for once out of City Hall. I completely respect handling situations such as this professionally. It’s not unlike a marriage – it doesn’t work unless both parties want it to. My ire is more with the City Council than Mr. Oliver in any way. He deserves every penny his contract calls for dealing with the current and previous group. Given the two City Manager candidates that bailed on the City the last time they were filling the position, he would have been foolish not to have a great severance package.
But it would be refreshing for everyone to be clear about it. If the council wanted a change, they could easily have said “Look it’s nothing personal but we don’t see you as the person to lead our ship anymore and we’d like to hire a new City Manager.” Everyone knows that the group in power now has a list of individuals they are gunning for and a list of individuals to pay back.
It’s pretty clear what happened but no one wants to just own up to it. I’m losing more respect for all of the Council Members and the Mayor who continue to say – he was terminated, we weren’t going to terminate him – when it is undisputed that they were going to terminate him in Executive Session last Tuesday. Hell, he even called some of his key employees to let them know he was going to be terminated. He’s smart for working out the arrangement for both sides to come off better and I agree with other posters that he’s the best we’ve had in Peoria for decades.
Peo…great post and nice way to clear up any misunderstandings. I agree with you that it should be out in the open but when has council done that?
BD, I remember exactly how it happened and no seasoned city manager gets “scared off” by a call from the press. Ransberg was right as he had a real checkered past and they have been trying to get rid of him for ages. He was working in Wisconsin and iowa at the same time and got caught. He is looking for a job…that is a fact. The city could save a bundle by just calling him and asking him to interview again, nobody els will hire him.
Sandberg was involved in the first guy from Minn. So perhaps this refreshes everyones memory.
Time for our city council to envoke the City Rehire Adjustment Program ( C R A P)and start slinging it at each other.
I am so glad that everyone is acting so professional and giving Oliver a ton of cash and are going to spend a ton of cash to look for someone new. I am just so giddy except that it is my cash, the taxpayers cash that they are being giddy with.
This whole thing is horseshit and egos and they are spending taxpayer money.
Keep paying the garbage fee as I fear it is about to go up.
so tiresome, em.
Yeah, and this council isn’t?
What does our Mayor actually do?
Come on, CW! [libel deleted]
What has Ardis accomplished since he was elected, NOTHING! He talks a lot about scholarships, cleaning up the city but it is all talk. He and some council members claim credit for projects that started with Ransberg or Oliver. He wants to go to strong mayor so he can have a job, he fancies himself another Daly, isn’t that a laugh. Don’t believe his bs that he and his brother don’t talk. They are tighter than tight. This town had a chance with Ransberg. Right now I think it would take three members of council’s combined IQ’s to reach 120, the average.
NP — You can express your dissatisfaction with the mayor all you want, but not libel him.
I disagree with your opinion of libel and I was just responding to CW’s question with my opinion and one heard daily around the city.
Libel
2 a: a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression b (1): a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt
The council are public figures and their actions are accountable to the public and public comment. Remember “free speech”?
I noticed that you did not list his “accomplishments”. The truth is an absolute defense in this case. This is an open blog, isn’t it?
NP — (1) You’ll notice I didn’t delete your whole comment, just the part that I deemed libelous. (2) Yes, you have free speech, including the freedom to start your own blog if you don’t want to be edited. (3) Free speech doesn’t mean you get to say whatever you want on my blog; I have the right to decide what stays and goes here. (4) Whether I edit or delete comments (a very rare occurrence) has nothing to do with whether I agree with the comment or not; it has to do with whether I’m afraid I could be sued. You, being anonymous, needn’t worry about such things.
As far as Ardis’s “accomplishments,” I’m not sure what kind of accomplishments you’re looking for. He ran against the kinds of “progressive” policies of the past, so I wouldn’t expect him to be coming up with big building programs or other initiatives like that. He did in this last budget cycle get Fire Station 11 adequately staffed (not fully staffed, but better than it was before), and was able to add some police officers. I think that’s significant. Under the Ransburg administration, public safety took a back seat.
I understand. I did not realize you would be held responsible for someone’s opinion and will conduct myself accordingly. However, I stand by my opinion. The public safety issue interests me as fires are a rare occurance in this day and age, thankfully. I think we would be better off if our FD was handling EMT business. That is a huge public safety issue and the fire department is great at responding to emergenicies. I would have preferred more police as that is a daily problem as opposed to beefing up fire other than for EMT. Just unqualified opinions!
CJ, I do not have your writing ability so creating a blog would not be something I would consider.
There is the $4 million parking garage.
And the Arbor’s demolition.
Mahk…Thank you, I feel better seeing the council’s accomplishments in black and white.
NP,
if you had these concerns where you at the public meeting held regarding the budget….I was the only one who spoke…I support Mayor Ardis. Most people don’t see what he and other public officials do, they only see what is reported, yet there are ample opportunities to avail yourself in these projects, commissions, meetings, etc. to find out for yourself. Ardis has been there everytime I have needed his assistance without fail, very little of this is newsworthy. I find it impressive that when neighborhood leaders are exasperated with problems in their areas we have a mayor who will take the time to pop in at your house to check on things or go out with George Jacob to see what is going on first hand, late nights and weekends, etc. I know he listens to ideas. May or may not agree, but listening and accessibility are very important for officials at least for. I could list the things that some of these people have accomplished, but strongly recommend that you become more involved and find out for yourself….the solutions to problems are seldom simple and require more that just the officials working to resolve them.
That aside, I completely disagree with CJ on the firestation 11 issue, and this has nothing to due with Ardis. The big issue at the last District campaign race was that they took the truck from Station 3 and put it 11 and left the Engine at three. That essentially left the 2nd district with really one complete firestation split between two locations as far as equipment was concerned. This was a huge campaign issue. The fire dept and the candidates/polticians reported that we needed fully staffed stations with appropriate equipment for us to be safe. I live in between these stations therefore making it very important to our area. Several months ago, the mantra changes from needing a fully staffed station 11 to “we will rely on the professional judgement of the fire chief” I caught that change in language immediately and noted that something was in the wind. Sure enough the fire dept. now has GIS maps showing overlapping coverage and suddenly station 11 really isn’t needed, but what is now needed is a rescue squad and Station 3 gets its truck back. The council votes to add six firefighters at Station 11, keeping it open, but it is a rescue squad. Que the lights, sound and can the assistant city manager to do it. Note: there is still only one working firestation in the 2nd district and it’s in the west bluff. Net gain as far as firefighting capabilities for the 2nd District equals zero. So all in all, my area is expendable. No one else seemed to pay attention this. Cj, the increase in police staff was not for patrols. An assistant chief, who I would guess is not going to be out arresting bad guys. The dectectives will solve pending crimes and to devote someone to nuisance properties as long as that is exactly what they do will be helpful. What was given to the PD was not what was originally asked and for those answers, I return to the budget sessions people did not follow.
Paul – Thanks for the detailed info. I try to stay informed but it is difficult. I hope you are running for council. I know you are well respected and you have a great understanding of the machine. Not to blow your horn to loud but it is refreshing to hear facts backed up by numbers. Your neighborhood assoc is a real great thing so keep it up.