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McCollum, city reach agreement
By DAVE SHELTON
Article published on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 |
BELLEAIR BEACH – The City Council and former City Clerk Nancy McCollum have reached an agreement confirming her promotion to city manager. Ratification of her contract will wait until the next council meeting on Monday, Nov. 5.
At a special meeting Oct. 10, the council put off a $65,000 contract with McCollum that contains an escape clause should she find the manager’s job too difficult. The contract was delayed because McCollum was out of town attending a professional conference.
McCollum’s assistant, Patti Gentry, has assumed the duties of city clerk and an assistant was approved by the council, if McCollum or Gentry need help. Mayor Lynn Rives said Gentry will be named city clerk at the November meeting.
The city’s second manager replaces Reid Silverboard who resigned in March to take a higher-paying manager’s office in Treasure Island.
McCollum was immediately appointed as interim manager pending a search for a new manager. She initially rejected the job, saying she was a career city clerk and was only months away from her official state certification.
Mayor Lynn Rives told council members last summer that McCollum didn’t want to jeopardize the years she had invested in earning the recognition. He said she has since reconsidered, provided her contract includes the escape clause.
If McCollum elects to leave the manager’s office, she could again be made city clerk if that position is available.
The contract also includes a 1-year severance package if McCollum is terminated before the end of the contract.
In other business, the council rejected a plea by a former city police officer for a bigger retirement payout. Luanne Ream said the $145,000 she was slated to be paid wasn’t enough money to support her retirement.
The city’s seven police officers and chief resigned when the department was dissolved, according to a March edict by voters. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office hired all of the full-time officers except Ream, who didn’t pass physical requirements.
Ream had been on disability since 1999 when she became unable to climb into the city’s new SUV patrol cars because of an arm injury.
During the special meeting, several council members voiced concern for Ream’s predicament. But Rives reminded the council that the amount of Ream’s payout was ordered by the state Public Employees Retirement Trust Fund.
“Her issue is actually with the state, not with us,” Rives said.
The council did act to dissolve the city’s former retirement fund and trust for police employees after all who had participated in this retirement plan had been paid. Rives said each officer had an option while they were employed with the city of using the city retirement plan or the state’s. Ream couldn’t be reached to comment on her plea as police officers’ home addresses and telephone numbers are protected by state law.
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Article published on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007
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