8. NSB's John Hagood ousted as city manager

Originally posted Tue, 2009-02-10 23:28

NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick. New Smyrna Beach City Manager John Hagood, at right, was ousted Tuesday night after the issue was raised by resident Bob Tolley, at left. Hagood held up a copy of his severance agreement, which calls for him to receive more than $289,000 in salary and benefits. He was replaced by Public Works Director Khalid Resheidat as interim city manager until July when Pam Brangaccio was hired as interim city manager and Resheidat returned to his former post. In November he was elevated to assistant city manager.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- City Manager John Hagood was fired earlier tonight as city manager, but agreed to stay on until an interim is named.

Mayor Sally Mackay and Commissioners Randy Richenberg and Lynne Plaskett voted in favor of the ouster while Commissioners Jack Grasty and James Hathaway opposed it.

"John Hagood is not the kind of city manager I want on my watch," Plaskett said.

The mayor added, "It is absolutely not personal."

Hathaway said he was disgusted by the ouster and pointed out the city's finances are thin already.

Though it wasn't announced publicly, Hagood's severance package, payable immediately once he's out of the job calls for $289,061,.66 in salary and benefits.

Plaskett and Richenberg originally wanted Hagood out immediately with a full paid leave of abscence until his Sept. 30 retirement, but Grasty and Hathaway convinced the majority to take up Hagood on his offer to stay on the job until and interim manager is hired.

Grasty was livid, calling Hagood's removal "garbage" and pointing out an interim among the department heads would stretch management too thin.

The commission action was initiated after city resident Bob Tolley, a frequent critic at city meetings, demanded the commission take a stand either way regarding Hagood's job.

"Do you want this man as city manager or don't you," Tolley demanded, at one point calling Hagood "corrupt," even citing the definition of the word from a dictionary, though he said it did not include financial corruption.

Richenberg chided Hagood, saying he should have kept things "professional" with Tolley instead of getting personal. Hagood shot back that when he's called corrupt, "the gloves are going to come off."

Tolley said he was incensed that city employees, whom he wouldn't name, provided personal information that embarrassed him and his family on the Web site that is often critical of city government, nsbshadow.com. Tolley's financial situation was posted on the Web site Monday after the city agenda showed Tolley's request to be heard tonight.