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Port Richey Negotiating New Contract With Posivach

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By KLINT LOWRY | The Suncoast News

Published: March 18, 2009

PORT RICHEY - No one would argue that interim City Manager Ellen Posivach has had her hands full since taking that position nearly three months ago. So busy, in fact, that it wasn't until the City Council's March 10 meeting that she got around to the small matter of being properly paid for the job she's been doing.

Posivach presented an outline for a contract proposal at the meeting. While the Council agreed - for the most part - that she has been doing a fine job and the current terms of employment need to be reviewed, they decided a bit of negotiating was in order.

Last October, Posivach was hired on a contract basis to serve as assistant city manager under then-City Manager Richard Reade. When the council decided not to renew Reade's contract, Posivach accepted their request to step in as interim city manager.

She officially began in that job title on Dec. 26, at the same time inheriting the duties of public utilities director, finance director, purchasing director and public works director, as well as continuing with the responsibilities of the assistant manager's position. She was working, however, under the contract she entered into when she was hired as assistant city manager, a post budgeted at $60,000 per year.

Posivach's proposal called for a base salary of $98,698.72, and total compensation of $135,400.04, including benefits.

She based the salary request, Posivach explained, on the pay of former City Manager Jerry Calhoun.

The request has been adjusted to reflect across-the-board pay raises city workers had received since fiscal 2008, plus an added $22,273 for doing the jobs of finance director and public utilities director, Posivach said.

Her most recent previous job was city manager of Tarpon Springs, a post she held for nine years before resigning last year under pressure from the City Commission.

Her critics in Tarpon Springs said Posivach spent too much time out of town and lacked communications skills. Posivach said she had run afoul of the city's political old guard because she would not do its bidding.

Some council members were quick to endorse Posivach for the job she's done.

"She's gotten more done in the last two months than were accomplished in the past eight," Mayor Richard Rober said.

Councilman Phil Abts, on the other hand, told Posivach he is "very unhappy with your services." Specifically, he cited the hundreds of thousands of dollars she has spent on various projects since taking office.

Councilman Mark Hashim was also concerned with Posivach's level of communication, but he also brought up the point that this contract issue brings up the fact that the city is yet to even advertise for a permanent city manager.

"Our job is to find a city manager, not have an interim city manager who could give us two-week notice and leave us high and dry," Hashim said.

Council reconvened on Thursday to discuss the matter further.

The general feeling was that while the terms Posivach had proposed might be acceptable for a permanent appointment, it was a bit too high for an interim manager's contract.

Council members stressed, however, they hope Posivach will apply for the city manager's job.

After trimming away some of the benefits and severance provisions, the council came up with a counteroffer, with total compensation of $116,720 per year.

Posivach was not at the meeting on Thursday. Council directed City Attorney Michael Brannigan to present the offer to her.

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