Outgoing Watertown City Manager Mary Corriveau. Photo: Watertown government
(01/19/12) The Watertown City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday night not to renew the contract of City Manager Mary Corriveau.
That's after it was discovered earlier this year that mismanagement at the city's parks and recreation department had cost the city thousands of dollars in unbilled usage of the ice arena and fairgrounds.
Teresa Macaluso and Mayor Jeff
Graham voted against the measure to oust Corriveau. Joseph Butler, Roxanne
Burns, and Jeff Smith voted in favor:
"There have been concerns of the council
that we've discussed for a period of time and we thought it was in the best
interest of both parties to not renew the contract," Smith said.
Mayor Graham said he’d known
this move was in the works for some time among some members of the council.
"Well, I think from their point of view,
they had stated a variety of grievances, some related to communication issues,
and some related to parks and rec issues, and some related to seemingly small
things, some of them things that had been gnawing at them for some time."
Graham says despite the
city’s mismanagement issues, he would have preferred Corriveau keep her job.
"We all have complaints about this and
that in life, but you try to work through them, and I felt, given the range
of issues, the situation with the city at the moment and the range of issues
we're facing, we're better off staying with what we had. But the council
seemed pretty adamant that they just didn't feel they could work with her – at
least two of the members felt that way – and you know, if they can't, then
maybe you do move on, who knows?"
It's not yet clear what will
happen next. Graham says Corriveau can remain city manager until April 30, or
she can give 30 days notice and leave earlier. Jeff Smith says the city council
did have to give Corriveau notice by Jan. 31 in order to avoid paying severance
benefits. Watertown will now have to
begin a search for a new city manager.
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