Wednesday, May 28, 1997
Lambert to receive pay through August
By ANTHONY WILSON / Abilene Reporter-News
Former city manager Lanny Lambert will continue drawing his
$3,522 biweekly paycheck through August.
After his resignation May 8, Lambert and the Abilene City Council
agreed on a 3-1/2-month "resignation package" that will
pay him approximately $25,000.
Alhough a compensation package after the resignation or termination
of a city manager is a "fairly common practice," city
personnel director Kathy Merrill said most agreements involve
six months of pay, something Lambert confirmed.
"But I had no contract," he said. "I didn't
ask for one when I came here. We agreed on 3-1/2 months to give
me the summer to look for a job. I thought that was fair, and
(the council) thought that was fair."
The agreement was reportedly reached in an executive session
in which Lambert expressed his dissatisfaction with the job after
only 2-1/2 years. He resigned following the closed session, a
sudden move that shocked City Hall.
"In a pressure situation being a top executive, it's different
from a guy delivering milk," Councilman Don Drennan said
of the financial package. "There are not too many jobs requiring
those skills. The situation justifies how you treat people.
"I really thought three months was a pretty good package.
Lanny wasn't bartering for a whole lot more. He was being reasonable.
We wanted to be more than reasonable to give him time to find
where he best fits - hopefully in our community."
Lambert has said he wants to stay in Abilene, his hometown,
and work in private industry. But he isn't limiting his options.
Already he's a finalist for the city manager's post in The
Colony, a Metroplex community of approximately 25,000 people.
He interviews for the job next week.
"More power to him," Drennan said.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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