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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL)
August 13, 2011
Rules cut Bunnell manager meeting short
Author: AARON LONDON - STAFF WRITER
Dateline: BUNNELL
BUNNELL- A special meeting of the City Commission on Friday about the future of the city
manager was short but not very sweet.
Commissioner John Rogers called for the special meeting after City Manager Armando
Martinez informed commissioners that he is a candidate for the police chief's job in Melbourne.
Rogers said he was concerned because Martinez's contract automatically renews for another
year today, and a clause in Martinez's contract provides for a severance package that would pay
the manager the equivalent of six months' salary and benefits "if Mr. Martinez falls out of favor
with the board."
Martinez is paid $102,733.60 as city manager. Rogers said the severance package would cost
the city "somewhere around $51,000" if paid.
When Martinez was hired as city manager in 2008 he received a one-year contract which
renews automatically for two more years. However, if he is offered the Melbourne job and
resigns as city manager he is not due the severance pay.
Rogers said he "felt time was of the essence" in addressing the issue and was motivated to call
for the special meeting because "something was churning up inside of me and I couldn't ignore
it."
However, his fellow commissioners were not inclined to discuss the contract.
Mayor Catherine Robinson pointedly noted that the commission was there to discuss "only
what's on the agenda" and was supported in that by City Attorney Sid Nowell.
The notice for the special meeting listed the agenda as "discussion regarding Mr. Martinez's
application for the position of Chief of Police with the City of Melbourne, Fl.," and Nowell said
that was the only item that could be discussed under the terms of the city charter.
Keeping a tight rein on the discussion, Robinson said Martinez had notified commissioners of
his job search.
"I think he did that solely and only to inform his bosses," she said. "He has the right to get
another job if he chooses."
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