O’Fallon mayor unsure if he’ll hire an executive assistant
More than three months after his predecessor’s executive assistant left the city payroll, O’Fallon Mayor Bill Hennessy says he hasn’t decided whether he’ll fill the position.
Hennessy
“For the rest of this year, probably not,” Hennessy said. “After that, we’ll take a look at it.”
Hennessy said it’s possible he’ll just carry out the assistant’s duties himself.
Carl Maus, a local political activist who had been hired for the job in November 2006 by then-Mayor Donna Morrow, was earning $67,724 a year when he was forced out at the end of June.
Maus said he was told by then-City Administrator Robert Lowery Jr. that “my services weren’t needed” any longer. Neither Hennessy nor Maus would comment when asked if Maus got a buyout deal.
After the Post-Dispatch recently filed an open records request with the city clerk’s office, the city released a copy of a separation agreement showing Maus got severance pay totaling $5,209 and promised not to pursue any legal claims against the city.
Maus
John Griesenauer, the city’s managing director of administrative services, said the amount was for vacation, holiday and other leave time earned but not used by Maus. The agreement was signed July 20.
In June, the City Council passed an ordinance making the position subject to appointment and removal by the mayor “at will.”
Previously, the executive assistant was a standard city employee subject to dismissal only for cause.
Maus’ severance pay was much smaller than the buyout negotiated by the city with Lowery and the early retirement package for former Police Chief Jerry Schulte.
Maus became well-known in county politics over the past decade as a founder of Citizens for Responsible Community, a committee which campaigned for Morrow and various other candidates and ballot issues.
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Why does he need to hire another person? His wife is paid from his campaign account and Perkins is already on the payroll. Those are his two assistants.
What a wastte of tax dollars paying Carl Maus. Thank God he is is gone.
This is funny. The founder of “citizen’s for a responsible community” was hired by Donna Morrow and was paid $67,000 a year from tax budgets.
If Dave Chappell starts another show this could be a great could be a segment. This mirrors the irony of dave’s segment titled “Clayton Bigbsy the black white supremist”.
Hennessey is saving Perkin’s face again. Perkin’s has his eye on one of his old regime pals to take this spot. The majority of the Council will vote this spot out of the budget if Perkins pushes this. To keep Perkins from egg on his face Hennessey will hold off picking his buddy until Election filing closes in January.
The City should get rid of the assistant City Administrator, who cannot even fill in because the mayor has no confidence in him. That could save a whole lot of money. He was making too much anyway.
Holy Cow, $115,000 for an Assistant City Administrator, that cannot even fill in for the City Administrator. He has got to go.
Ok. Then lets get rid of the Finance Director becasue revenue is down. Then the Police Chief because crime is up (oh wait that is happening). Then the Building Dept Manager because of the empty strip malls. Finally the Parks Chief because St Charles County is outbuilding us in parks. Here is the point it is whatever Debi Hennessey and Perkins want that will be done whether it is personel or ordinances or any projects for the city. That the complex solution to complex problems!
O’Fallon’s Gov. is way bloated as it is.
Don’t care if his wife and Perkins are his assistants. Don’t care if the City Clerk runs his schedule and is one of the inner circle. If not hiring saves money then don’t hire. I don’t know of anything he has done in six months that has saved money. This could be a start.
Looks to me like Henessy is in line for another Nobel Peace Prize cause he has done nothing since the election. Gee, wonder who his buddy in line for the assistant job is? I wonder how he thinks he will sneek this campaign favor by the voters. Here comes the past - again. Remember who dug it back up.
Judging by the salaries of all the old time department heads, there should be a major layoff of the upper crust now to save taxpayers money and give new ideas a chance. The city is as stale as it gets.
Why does government positions never get trimmed back, especially in a bad economy? What do some of these huge salaries do on the clock when the city funds are drying up?
Yeah, add another assistant to the busy, busy staff. Yeah, right.