Opinion: A Warning about Wedge Issues to Rye Democrats

A new front-page story in last week’s Rye Record carries firm warnings about weakening the power of the Rye City Manager. It sounds ominous, authoritative, and warns the proposed change is totally out of character for Rye. Here’s the story link:

Proposed Council Charter Change Prompts Outcry From Previous Councilmembers

And Rye Democratic Party members, including former city council members, appear deeply concerned:

Arthur Stampleman: “the proposed ordinance makes “a fundamental change in the charter because it removes one-quarter to one-third of the City’s staff and budget from the authority of the City Manager.””

Carolyn Cunningham: “described the proposal as “ill-advised” as it “constitutes a weakening of our non-political city manager form of government.”

Meg Cameron: the proposed change would “blur the boundaries between our elected officials and city employees and open the door to political patronage and corruption. There are many communities where, if you want to work for the town, it helps to do a favor for your town councilman. There are communities where if the mayor’s son drives drunk, the police look the other way. We don’t have that kind of corruption in Rye. That is because our city manager system of government and the laws as they are currently written make it impossible.”

Beth Griffin Matthews: “Your role is properly limited to the appointment of the professional city manager who is the City’s chief administrative officer. You are citizen legislators and policy-makers, not administrators.

Helpfully the Rye Record article also provides this excerpt from the Rye City Charter –

The current Charter states: “Except for the purpose of an official inquiry, the Council and its members and committees shall deal with the administrative departments and services of the city for which the City Manager is responsible solely through the Manager, and neither the Council nor any member or committee thereof shall give orders to, or require action by or information from, any subordinate of the City Manager either publicly or privately.”

Apparently, however, Rye political class selective memory repression is possibly about to reach epidemic status:

“(Neale) pointed out that he had been favorably reviewed by the (Rye City) Council in December (2001); had been given a raise, and received no unfavorable comments or warning since that time.

He told the Council that when the Mayor (Steve Otis) and Councilman (Robert) Hutchings fired him on Friday, July 19, 2002 no reason was given.”

“I would be interested in hearing your reason as to why I was being fired.” (Quote from The Rye Record, August 22, 2002, front-page story by - Arthur Stampleman)

APPROVED MINUTES - Special Meeting - City Council - July 26, 2002 - Page 3

New Business (non-agenda item)

Mayor Otis announced that the Council had met in Executive Session earlier in the morning and, after careful consideration, had decided to make a personnel change regarding the position of Corporation Counsel and is looking to transition from our current Corporation Counsel to a new person. He said they had prepared a resolution to that effect. Councilman Chu made a motion, seconded by Councilman McKean, to adopt the following resolution:

RESOLVED, that the City Council is making the following changes regarding the position of Corporation Counsel:

1. J. Henry Neale, Jr. will hold the position of Corporation Council until August 31, 2002

2. Kevin J. Plunkett is appointed Corporation Counsel and will coordinate with the Corporation Counsel during the transition period.

The Mayor thanked Mr. Neale for his work over the past three years. Corporation Council Henry Neale said he had not advance notice this would be an agenda item but made some remarks to the Council. He told the Council that when the Mayor and Councilman Hutchings fired him on Friday, July 19, 2002 no reason was given. He said he felt he had provided the City with reasonably good service over the past three years, that he had not lost a case for the City and had provided good on-site service to the staff. He pointed out that he had been favorably reviewed by the Council in December; had been given a raise, and received no unfavorable comments or warning since that time. He said that the Council has the right to hire and fire the Corporation Counsel, but if there is a good reason he would have hoped they might have the courtesy to say what it was. He said he considered himself the attorney for the Council as a whole, rather than for any individual, and has tried to give them the best legal advice he could and be a truth-teller. In conclusion, he said the city staff (which is, in his opinion, highly professional and competent and work together well as a team) had been appreciative of his work over the years and he will miss working for the City. Mayor Otis said it had been a carefully considered and difficult decision to move in a new direction. Several Councilmen thanked Mr. Neale for his past service.

ROLL CALL:

AYES: Mayor Otis, Councilmen Chu, Cypher, Hutchings, Larr and McKean

NAYS: None

ABSENT Councilwoman Cunningham

The Mayor noted that Councilwoman Cunningham, because of her long-standing friendship with Mr. Neale, would not have voted in favor of the decision, had she been present.