Doesn't portend well for the city that the supervisor accused of wrongdoing in this lawsuit was fired about the time this lawsuit was filed.
But certainly there is more to the story that we can know on the outside looking in.
I found the comment from the plaintiff's attorney that they think the suit will go to trial because the city's defense attorneys get paid by the hour to be a shot across the bow to city commissioners, challenging them to make an enticing settlement offer.
Probably a well worn trick in confrontations like these...
The big question is whether this lawsuit by Mary Bartlett against a former department head is related much to the current turmoil inside city hall. The commission has been meeting in private to discussion personnel matters more than usual, and we know they have been discussing city manager Steve Archer's performance.
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6 comments:
I think there is abit of illusion or delusion by the City Manager as to the propoer extension of collegiality and the sense of "family" in the work-place.
He seems to only want to respond or act when pressed to the wall. Sad that Mr. Archer cannot understand that addressing the first Department head gone rogue would have sent a resounding message about organizational rspect.
You don't have to love the boss at the top but you do have to comply. The Commissioners are the Boss at the top. EVen though he stands between the governing body and the staff, it is his job to staff his departments with people who can follow orders.
Instead, Archer has defended the staff in their open defiance of the commission. His contention is the professional expertise of his staff should prevail. Too bad that none of them City Manager down to the line workers have any sense of accountability to the people whose tax dollars provide their salaries.
Last heard, the staff has adopted the traditional even year fall posture. Simply undermine the elected officials and hope the voters take the bait and elect new novices into office.
New elected officials won't know what hit them while the staff shreds records relevant to problems such as those that have Mrs. Bartlett hauling the City staffers into court.
The commision ought to delegate one member to sit in on all the court proceedings or at least to be briefed by the expensive lawfirm retained by Mr. Archer and Mrs. Niles (City Attorney).
To the voters, knowledge is power. To the staff Novice is power!!
Lets see how this plays out. Fire Archer-make Snell city manager -Appoint Canyon the cookie lady to take Snells place --Several more years of p*** poor city government for the citizens of AC
It's kind of obvious that the staffers are making those anti-commission comments. There never seems to be any finger pointing below the City manager level.
Hmmmmm.
Thank you Mr. Kuhn and Mrs. Smith, we appreciate your input. But, as in all things to do with the city, you have no clue. The city's insurance company will make all of the calls because they are paying for it. Neither the commission nor the city staff will have much input on the matter.
As far as Mr. Archer, I believe the "rogue" department head was in place for nearly 10 years before he became manager and the problems were the same before.
Nice try, but we are getting used to the way you try to spin things.
Anonymous said...
The city's insurance company will make all of the calls because they are paying for it. Neither the commission nor the city staff will have much input on the matter.
This is the epitome of staff attitude. Regardless of the insurers role, they are retained by funds generated from tax payer dollars. For those tax payer dollars, regardless fo what staff says, the state statute holds the governing body accountable for oversighte and teh City staff acoountable for management.
If you could only get it through your head that it is not your money. We have this great collection of folks who simply would never survive in private sector where everyone is accountable to someone.
Just can't quite explain why they all ended up in Arkansas City.
If you could prove that anyone holds the city commission accountable for anything I am sure many people would stand up and take notice.
As it stands, I believe the city commission does only as they please with no regard for anyone or anything else.
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