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Morro Bay city manager returns to hot seat

November 11, 2013

IMG_0332The Morro Bay City Council will again consider firing City Manager Andrea Lueker during a special closed meeting Tuesday.

At the request of Mayor Jamie Irons, the council initially considered firing Lueker in September, but opted to take no action. The council is currently in the process of firing and negotiating a severance package for City Attorney Rob Schultz, who is on administrative leave.

Irons has not stated publicly why he has called for the termination of the city’s top two employees and is now facing a recall effort. Still, Councilman Noah Smukler and Councilwoman Christine Johnson have supported Irons in his push to fire both executives.

A majority vote of the five-member council is required to fire either the city manager or attorney.

When the council called the September meeting to discuss firing Lueker and Schultz, a capacity crowd greeted the city manager with a standing ovation. Her supporters included numerous past and present city employees.

Tuesday’s meeting will mark the first time since September in which the council will discuss firing Lueker.

The council held six special meetings during October, mostly to discuss firing Schultz.

During the dispute over the executives’ contracts, the council hired an outside attorney and plans on hiring another, before then bringing on an interim city attorney.

According to the contracts of Schultz and Lueker, the city owes each more than $100,000 in severance pay if the council fires them without cause.

The previous council, however, raised the severance pay for Schultz and Lueker in closed session without finalizing it open session, as required by the Brown Act.

Schultz faults Irons and the current council majority, though, for not correcting the mistake when informed about it.

Schultz’s contract initially called for nine months of severance pay, but the previous council improperly lowered it to six months before improperly raising it back to nine months. Lueker’s contract currently calls for nine months of severance pay, as well.

The council will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Morro Bay Veterans’ Hall. Discussion of Schultz’s contract is also on the agenda.

 


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SAD evening….

We used to be a family….now …..dysfunctional ……

We used to be a little town of values and caring….(not always agreeing…but listening)

Now all seems topsy turvy……mean spirited without validation…..


Mayor says “thanks for that” over and over during public comment……

But you know in your heart he doesn’t even listen…..even though folks keep trying to speak from the heart….with such caring for our town and dedicated people such as Andrea who have given and given and given……


Makes you really wonder…..how can someone who has been such a giver….and worked so hard for our community for many many years….how can she be treated this way? Who would do that to her….and what kind of a person is our Mayor?


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He’s a tool.


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Oh, get over yourself. Are you serious? Morro Bay has just NOW become dysfunctional and divided? What Channel 20 have you been watching? I’ve been listening to Bill Yates say “thank you for your comments” for years now, knowing he only values the opinions of those he’s “known for 17 years” or “worked together with on … (this or that).” This is called DEMOCRACY, and like makin’ sausage, it ain’t pretty. What kind of person is our mayor? Maybe he’s just the kind of person you, and this town needs.


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nice response…you sound very mean spirited…..


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Ahhh yes, Democracy will indeed prevail when the Mayor is recalled and the city is returned to it’s citizens.


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Not if what I’m hearing is true – that you’re having a tough time getting John Hancock’s.


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You must be listening to the hopes and dreams of the Kool-Aid drinkers in MB and SLO. I am not having a problem at all, in the very beginning it was a little difficult but now are coming to me, especially after last nights meeting. Getting requests for voter registration apps also so they can now vote and sign. SEE YOU AT THE POLLS for round two. Your outside money and power (political machine) according to Mr. McGurdy got you in now local money and power will get YOU OUT!!!!!!!!


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