BANGOR, Maine — The City Council’s recent decision to convince City Manager Ed Barrett to retire 18 months before his contract expires was not unanimous, according to one councilor who profoundly disagreed with the way the matter was handled.
In a letter sent Thursday to the Bangor Daily News, Councilor Geoff Gratwick said he questioned the basis of the council’s decision, and he wanted to make those questions public.
“It appears that the majority of the council feels that Bangor needs a ‘new direction and vision,’” Gratwick wrote. “No one can fault this general idea. One’s reaction, however, ought to depend on the direction and vision proposed.”
Gratwick went on to say that any vision for the city must be articulated in a wholly public and transparent way, and so far, he hasn’t been part of any discussions about a new vision. He found that fascinating, too, since he is the council’s liaison for updating the city’s comprehensive plan.
Barrett made an announcement on Tuesday that he would retire on or before April 30, 2010, as part of a negotiated agreement with city councilors. The reasons cited by Council Chairman Gerry Palmer and others were change and a new vision for the city, but that new vision has yet to be articulated clearly.
Palmer said late Thursday that he had received a copy of the letter and said Gratwick’s views did not represent the strong will of the majority of councilors. Palmer declined to comment further, largely because Gratwick is a candidate for re-election to the City Council and Palmer did not want to influence that election in any fashion.
Barrett has been Bangor’s city manager since 1988 and is one of the longest tenured municipal administrators in the state. His most recent contract was amended earlier this year to extend through Sept. 30, 2011, meaning the agreement breaks that contract. A severance package will pay him six months salary plus 18 months of health insurance.
Gratwick indicated that he recently reviewed Barrett’s employment evaluations, which are conducted by the city council’s personnel committee, and found no deficiencies or red flags. All job performance reviews were either acceptable or commendable, according to Gratwick, including one as recent as this year.
Similarly, fellow councilors had only glowing things to say about Barrett during his retirement announcement on Tuesday, which made Gratwick and others wonder, why make a change? At a candidates’ forum on Wednesday, potential city councilors such as Cary Weston, Paul Lodgek and incumbent Peter D’Errico all questioned the decision.
Councilor Pat Blanchette said she understands where Gratwick is coming from because she’s been in the minority on council decisions before.
“He has to do what he has to do, what he feels is right,” she said.
Councilor Hal Wheeler agreed that Gratwick has a right to dissent but disagreed that the process lacked transparency.
Both Wheeler and Blanchette warned that Gratwick could face repercussions if his letter revealed information shared during an executive session. Gratwick didn’t believe it did.
The agreement between city councilors and Barrett was made during an executive session and then approved, rather quickly and cryptically, during the council’s open session, something Gratwick said was designed. The vote was unanimous.
Gratwick said he didn’t bring up his concerns at that city council meeting on Monday out of respect for Barrett, who had not yet told his staff. Gratwick, a two-term councilor who is seeking re-election next week, said he understands his comments could make him persona non grata around the city, but he also said someone needed to say it.
“I don’t want this to be a half-told story,” Gratwick said Thursday. “It’s unfair to Ed.”
Barrett has declined to speak publicly about the reasons behind his agreement with the council to retire but has admitted that it wasn’t how he expected to end his tenure in Bangor.
In the conclusion of his letter, Gratwick expressed concerns that any new manager the city brings in will be handicapped by the council’s recent decision to part ways with Barrett.
“Likewise, fewer citizens will be interested in serving our community on the city council or elsewhere if they come to believe that important decisions are being made out of the public’s view,” his letter read. “The lack of transparency invites questions as to the precipitous nature of this ‘new direction’ and undercuts the legitimacy of our City Council in the eyes of Bangor’s citizens.”
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