By RENE RAY DE LA CRUZ
STAFF WRITER
Posted Feb. 26, 2015 at 7:28 AM
ADELANTO — During a marathon meeting in front of a packed house, the City Council on Wednesday approved the release of City Manager Jim Hart, discussed its looming bankruptcy and considered a measure that would allow Adelanto's residents to vote for a medical marijuana collective to operate in the city.
During a closed session, Thomas Thornton was named interim city manager of Adelanto, a city that finds itself in a dire fiscal crisis. Thornton told the Daily Press that he will work “triple-duty” as he will retain the position of city engineer and director of public works while taking on the new job. Thornton has also worked for Apple Valley, Hesperia and the Santa Clarita Water Company.
An earlier report of the city’s mid-year budget showed that Hart was expected to resign by the end of the month. Hart, who went on a two-week administrative leave last week, was absent from the meeting.
According to Wednesday's staff report, Hart's departure will cost the city $225,352.93, which includes a severance payment, benefits and employer taxes. The actual amount Hart receives will be lower due to "tax deductions and separate payments to insurance providers" which add up to about $160,000, according to the report.
The city will also continue to pay for Hart's medical insurance, and Hart will receive a used vehicle from the city, according to the staff report.
Before the Hart announcement, the mood was grim in the council chambers after Onyx Jones (the interim finance director who said she was making her last presentation because she is stepping down) said Adelanto will be out of money by the end of the year if new revenue does not begin to flow in.
After hearing the news, Mayor Rich Kerr told the audience that the city is now beyond a fiscal emergency.
"We will shut down city hall, people will get their pink slips and there will be no more Adelanto," Kerr said.
Jones said the options before the council are to "increase revenue or cut drastically."
Councilman John "Bug" Woodard said laying off employees is the last thing the council wants to do.
"The utility-user tax could have been an integral part of saving the city," Councilman Charley Glasper said. "I ask you to consider bringing this back to a vote again. Are you willing to sacrifice to save the city?”
Voters shot down the 7.95 percent utility-user tax in November.
Kerr said if San Bernardino County takes control of the city, the residents of Adelanto will have no vote and no voice.
“Now is the time to choose your destiny,” Kerr said.
Jones told the Daily Press that after three years with Adelanto, she is stepping down to work with her husband, Kevin, a local contractor.
The standing-room-only crowd seemed to mainly consist of people who came to discuss a different topic: Marijuana. After several public comments were heard on the benefits and dangers of medical marijuana use, marijuana collective owner Johnny Salazar made his presentation to the council and asked if the council would consider his store to operate legally on a six-month trial basis.
After the council and Salazar exchanged heated words, the council proposed to place an advisory measure on the ballot to allow the citizens of Adelanto to vote on whether a medical marijuana collective could operate within the city limits.
Salazar was pleased with the decision until the council revealed the $65,000 price tag he would be required to pay for the election. A shocked Salazar said he thought the ballot placement fee was $15,000.
“Let me talk to my board of directors and I’ll let you know our decision the next time we meet,” said Salazar, who operates Green Tree Health Healing Center in Adelanto. “I just want to help our people who need cannabis to survive. I think it would also help the city's revenue problems.”
Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa Cruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
Comments
Post a Comment