Posted on 01/07/2005 1:41:47 PM PST by Osage Orange
McAlester contract an eye-opener
Oklahoman Editorial
IF NOTHING else, the mess involving McAlester's longtime city manager should grab the attention of municipal officials across the state. Randy Green has spent 24 years as city manager. Such longevity in that position is rare, regardless of locale, but the contract he enjoyed clearly made it worthwhile.
His most-recent contract with the city, signed in September 2003, gives him an annual salary of $90,000, plus a 7 percent annual increase that can be converted into leave days. In addition, he receives a $700-per-month car allowance. He gets a dozen sick days, 13 paid holidays and 21 vacation days each year.
The contract also allows him to sell back any unused vacation and sick days whenever he likes. Since July 1999, the city of McAlester has paid Green a whopping $579,500 for accrued unused leave. His contract allows for that pay to be calculated at his current salary, even if the days were from years ago at a lower pay.
When he signed his newest deal, Green had compiled 394 unused days (he says he hasn't taken a day off since 1983). The Oklahoman disclosed last month that Green's employment contract and financial records are the subject of an investigation by state and federal agents.
This week, the city council voted to fire Green. Mayor Dale Covington says Green abused the council's trust for his own gain. That may be, but McAlester city leaders shouldn't excuse themselves as they go about casting blame. After all, it was the mayor and city council who approved Green's 2003 contract. "They gave away the farm," is how state Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan put it.
Meanwhile, Green says he's baffled by the turn of events. He can take solace in knowing he doesn't have to worry about rushing out to find a new job. His contract guaranteed him retirement benefits totaling $126,000 per year, for life -- even if he was fired.
City leaders elsewhere, take heed.
Fire them, and garnish their future wages to pay for the Green's retirement. If you're entrusted with the power of government, you should use it responsibly.
Whether they are fired or not will be up to the voters. They may think it's just fine that their leaders are incompetent. After all, 47,000,000 people just voted for a traitor in the last election.
You have to wonder if Gene Stipe was involved here...
Good question.
You remember FOB's.....?
There's a ton of FOG's in McAlester.
Funny they didn't disclose their political parties, eh?
"Lifetime Contract"..........Sometimes you get exactly what you asked for.
Yeah, right. More like he didn't report it on his time sheet.
I remember being sent to McAlester to cover an execution and when we arrived at the prison the guy at the gate sent us to an address in town first...Stipe's law office! We thought maybe they were using it as some kind of staging area or that someone in his office had had a hand in defending the guy who was being executed, but no, we just had to have an "audience" with Gene first...like we were passing through his kingdom and had to be brought before him and given approval before we could do our job!
The prison PIO apologized when he found out but it seems the locals always made sure that Stipe knew who was in town and why they were there. The atmosphere was part "Deliverance", part "Godfather".
Funny thing is...this guy says he's mystified and perplexed at all the interest.
FRegards,
That's the first thing you look for in an investigation. The guy is afraid to be out of his office for a day.
Interesting angle...and one that makes sense. Still I doubt very much the perp hasn't had a day off since 1983..or whatever he claims.
Considering McAlister is a small town that really does sound ridiculous.
Oops! I guess I never knew it was spelled McAlester, and I used to live in Oaklahoma, errr Oklahoma.
The cm says he's never taken a day off? Something tells me there were days he was doing things that were not part of his official duties.
Trajan88
Get real People
$90k to run a city?
the fire rescue guys in my town are averaging $80k and making over 100 w overtime
$90 is nothing- surprised they get anybody good for that
Trajan88
I wouldn't begrudge anyone for making whatever the market is bearing..and that's not what the problem is, IMO.
It's the buying back of PTO time.....and the way the "sweet" retirement deal was structured....that appears to be the problem. Where I work...you can buy back PTO time. But once you get to a pre-determined amount...you have to "use it or lose it".
Last but not least.....you've obviously never been to McAlester.....LOL!!
FRegards,
true and true
the cost of living here is huge, whadda you think- lower in mcalester?
The guy should become an agent for professional sports personalities.If he can get himself such a great contract he would really clean up with the pros.
FRegards,
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