Show : A8 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday March 10 2002 is usually hired fired and Factions Continued from A1 modification was drafted authorizing the mayor's salary lo be raised to $23000 Two weeks later the resolution wasi passed and Leonhardt officially became Providence's chief cook and hottlewashcr "And that’s the way it’s been for sonic time” Leonhard! says For Providence city and her nearly 5 000 residents “some lime" could come to an end as soon ls this week Four of the rive current city council members favor a major change in the manner in which the city is run and they'll hold a special workshop Monday night lo try and shed some light on the possibilities Then Tuesday evening during the city council's regular semimonthly meeting it is scheduled to vote on the matter! "I don't know what they’re going lo do” Leonhardt admits Technically the council is not actually voting on whether or not Providence will soon be run-foall intents-anpurposes by a city manager Officially it is making a decision oh Ordinance Modification (XM-0- 2: To consider for adop-lionordinance setting the annual safaiy for the mayor at $31 25 and the annual salary for a council member at $825 ' While that would be a raise of nearly $100 per year for the five members of the council it would he a reduction of $22000 from Leonhaidt’s current salary That money — arid possibly much mote — would then be used lo hire a manager that would begin on July I Leonhardt presum- ' ably would then return to e status part-time “As far as being here I’m certainly not going to do that for $3000” Leonhard! says “But as far as the mayor's position I'll have that for four years no matter what and that won’t change” But while a city administrator normally answers directly 'to the mayor a city manager an full-tim- sub-- witMd : servient to a mayor and the city council Ixonhardt’s responsibilities and power therefore would be greatly decreased While councilman Deon Johnson has expressed his support for Leonhardt and the city's current form of governof ment the other four-fiftthe city council — Wendy Simmons Joe Campbell Dennis Nelson and Vic Saunders — have indicated to various degrees that they believe Leonhardt lacks the administrative abilities necessary to run Providence city ' Others have suggested that if the city isn't running as smoothly as it amid it’s at least partly to blame on council members who are neglecting the areas of responsibility — roads water parks etc — that they were given when they were first elected “So they're kind of at odds” says former city coun- cilman Clint Thompson of council and mayor “It’s really complex and it’s concerning because I think they've probably lost respect for one another the way they're operating down there — none of them taking the responsibility that I think they should to resolve the issues” The talk of making a change at or near the top apparently began last summer Leonhardt missed one of the council meetings due to wrist surgery and while he was gone the idea of hiring a manager was brought up in an executive session Nelson says it was brought up again man executive session in September but the issue apparently didn’t come to light in a public forum until December That city council meeting was the last for coun- cilman Randy Simmons-whran for mayor against Leon- hardt in November but came up six votes shy Many of Leonhardt ’s suphad Sim-tnoporters believe-tha- t won manager would have been hired leaving time for Simmons to continue his current employment at Utah State University: But since Leonhardt prevailed in the election hs t : o ns ’ After just over a year mi the job in the public works department of Providence Cbx was placed ' City Bryan on paid administrative leave in November He says it’s because he spoke his mind and tried to bring numerous safety concerns and OHSA violations to Leonhaidt’s attention “I went to the mayor and talked to him about all of these safety issues that we have and nothing was done" Cox says “He’s a nice man but he didn’t want to stand up and deal with it” Cox returned to work in January but fearing city officials were looking for a reason to fire him resigned ' ES LuoaraHemld Journal shortly thereafter He says he Providence residents are divided over who will manage City Hall in the future was forced to resign Leonwith a lot more employees to perform any duty or will- hardt says he wasn’t Cox also they view the vote as a clear declaration that the people of fully and conuptly be guilty of than Providence city” who is says all five members of the Providence want the city govoppression malconduct miswilling to serve as city admincity council have expressed feasance or malfeasance in istrator at no pay for as long ernment to continue to func- their support fin him and that tion in its present form office the person is guilty of a as it takes to “see it run right” Thompson said “What hap' class A misdemeanor shall be Others suggest however “I think the council is lookpened to you is wrong” that most voters weren’t removed from office and is Still looking for a new job ing at possibly a different aware of the city manager not eligible for any municipal direction but we won’t know Cox says he would like to issue because Simmons didn’t office thereafter” that for sure until Monday or continue his new career in Leonhardt states! “If you read what oppresoutwardly campaign for it Tuesday” public service but is contem' and Leonhardt didn't directly sion is in the dictionary it Shaking things up in a small plating a lawsuit against the come out against it town like Providence where fits” Thompson says city He’s also keeping an eye ' Leonhardt says lie’s dison Providence’s politics ’’Ninety percent of the citipolitical relationships are zens I’ve talked to said ’We cussed the situation with city often intertwined with friendHaving worked for some would have made up our mind attorney Bruce Jorgensen and ships family relations church large corporations Cox says in a hurry if we would have has bean assured that the he believes many of his homeobligations and youth sports known because we don’t want council’s methods are legal is adelicate endeavor town’s problems are due to “Clint’s put a lot of research Although city council meet- a city manager’” Leonhardt poor administration and could ' into' it and he’s got some be rectified by a competent says “And frankly they're ings have occasionally gotten administrator or manager who good points” Leonhardt says saying the vote would have quite heated lately Leonhardt been a whole lot more wide“Because of the circumstances and the members of the counwould be responsible for over' cil afe still publicly polite and of doing it after a vote it's spread if they had known” seeing tiie city’s In Thompson’s case he says of another one very unethical but as far as respectful operations he voted for Leonhardt not so the legalities of it our attoreven while discussing each “We have some serious probmuch because of the man but lems here" Cox says “I’ve ney says what they’re doing is other's flaws and limitations because he knew Leonhardt “On a personal basis I get seen problems and the city legal and in fact with three would maintain the current votes on the council they can council has seen problems along with the council just form of government — a govdo about anything they want” fine” Leonhardt says “but There’s just a lot of Which is worth noting ernment that had been legally this one issue has strained the and part of the blame belongs to relations no question about it tiie mayor A kit of it is tiie put in place by city ordinance Potentially the council could head off in a direction other administration as a whole but “The other night we had a Thompson who distributed a e e document entitled than hiring a the mayor’s like the chief he’s managmeeting where none of this “Statements of Concern” lo er The city could bring in part-o- r was involved and we had no die captain of the our ship r about 60 people in Providence the mayor Leonhardt help-foadds “He has to fallow the chain problem” views theefforts of the council andor city council members to with some weariness “It’s just of command down through and to change this one issue and oncethis governmake sure everything’s going help ease the burden of responment as being illegal and on one issue is settled and done sibility everyone tight” Leonhardt says he’s even among other references cites fielded an offer from a ProviUtah Code Section dence citizen that runs “a ' “In case any municipal officer shall at any time willfully omit business ' ' fall-throu-gh three-pag- full-tim- -- full-ti- the-city'- s - 6: multi-millipndof- - jsaasrvvsrssh — I Free Adult Hearing Loss Seminar March 14 2002 Science Art History Literature Thursday March 2002 During N1E Month we ask parents and teachers to donate their newspsqxr or provide a subscription for use in a local classroom Please Discussion on: PIONEER VALLEY LODGE Gradou Irflrmntf Living 2351 N 40Q E Audience questions & comments Free Services provided Following the Seminar North Logan UT 84341 (435) 792 -0353 Ken Curtii AuDCCC Doctor of Audiology Dave Robinson C0C Audiologist encourage your child to read add use the paper It will help them better understand the world and Sponsored by ’ Hearing Aid Professionals your own ear Hearing screening by certified Audiologists Video Otoscope - see inside Weather Sports The newspaper has them all! Every day students can find stories that relate to their interests in dir newspaper They can even use die for research and homework help iWi why we’re proud to celebrate Newspaper in Education Month 1:00 PM Hearing Loss Hearing Aid Technology ay day-to-d- l H§ think they’ll be a anymore" themselves Hearing aid cleaning Light refrethmentt will be terved 753-717- 1 IlMnoaMr in Education journal DorYOU dtajailg iftfer dmiTitKyfelig vSafelfegg Here’s your chance! 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