Guest Blogger
Sam Goodstein
The firing of our City Manager
was unexpectedly added to the Lake Worth City agenda at the December 11th Commission Meeting without prior public notice. The City Manager Carmen Davis was then fired in a legal, yet nontransparent and undemocratic fashion. Was your view heard or silenced?Here are the facts.
1. On Monday, December 11th, a special meeting of the LWB City Commission was held. The only item on the agenda was "Performance Evaluation of City Manager Carmen Davis." This was her first evaluation.
2. After this, her first-ever evaluation, the final scoring reported by the City Clerk of the City Manager's performance was 2.99 out of 5 stars. Commissioner McVoy's scoring was 2.98.
3. Commissioner Kim Stokes moved to fire the City Manager (after having stated that at her company, "a three means you are doing an amazing job").
4. The city attorney first pointed out that there was a single item on the agenda. He suggested that if this action was to be considered it be put on a publicly noticed meeting.
5. The city attorney also pointed out that the City Manager could take the 20-week severance in her contract, or could sue the city as the specific evaluation process in the contract had not been followed. He also pointed out that there was an open bullying claim regarding Commissioner McVoy’s treatment of the City Manager.Z
6. Commissioner Christopher McVoy seconded the motion.
7. In following comments, Commissioner Malega, Mayor Resch, and the City Manager all expressed surprise, and offered the possibility of extending the contract for 6 months (presumably to allow the feedback of the evaluations to be put into use).
8. Following consultation with the City Attorney about how to proceed, Commissioner Stokes changed her motion to add consideration of adding the firing of the City Manager to the agenda.
9. Commissioner McVoy then seconded this.
10. Commissioners Kim Stokes, Christopher McVoy, and Reinaldo Diaz then voted to fire the City Manager without cause. Mayor Resch and Commissioner Malega voted not to fire her.
11. These actions were taken without public notice and less than 100 days before our municipal elections.
12. This was legal.
Some local historical context about firing a LW City Manager
"I find it really out of line to have this dropped on us and on the public without advance notice," McVoy said.
Shall legality be the standard of our democracy?
Attend the December 19th meeting to make your voice heard.
Watch all meetings online here
Watch the December 11th meeting here
Make your public comments about this action here These will be read at the December 19th meeting.
