The City Council plans a protest vote Wednesday night against Mayor-elect Randy Fitts' firing of top city administrators.
Fitts' collection of resignations from six of seven department heads happened out of the blue last week, after an election campaign in which he gave no intimation that the housecleaning would occur.Chairwoman Judy Siebach said council members weren't the only ones angered by Fitts' action.
"It's not getting him off to a very good start with the citizens, either," said Siebach. "He did make promises not to make theses devastating changes right off."
"Change for change's sake isn't wise. If he'd come in and worked with some of these people for three months and given them a chance to follow his direction or even take lower salaries, to me that would've been wise."
Fitts is defending his move by noting that when he becomes mayor next week he has executive privilege to fire department heads. Appointments must be made with advice and consent from the council, a delicate prospect now after last week's unpopular purge.
"I'm not cold and I'm not cruel," said Fitts. "These people have done us a good job. When I requested these resignations there were Kleenexes with tears shed on my side as well as others. It was something that was emotionally draining for me."
The mayor-elect said he will stand by the firings because City Hall is top heavy and fundamental policies need to be changed with regard to everything from financing to economic development.
But council members say faithful employees are getting the shaft and that they deserve at least a respectable severance package, especially during the yule season.
"It's not treating people decently the week before Christmas to dump them out in the snow," said Councilman Doug Moffat, who said he is particularly annoyed about the dismissal of Police Chief Oren J. Peck, who came to his post just 10 months ago after a citizens' committee chose him from among finalists.
"He's done a good job, he's increased morale, he's brought the department together and it doesn't seem ethical to do this to him," said Moffat. "We are going to try to discuss some of these issues with Randy and strike a compromise. I think the last thing he wants to do is divide himself from the council."
Any resolution passed Wednesday would likely be this council's last significant action. Three members were not re-elected this fall, though a four-member majority will remain in office after Jan. 1.