LEBANON CITY MANAGER LEAVING AFTER 16 YEARS
Pat Clements to retire after 16 years; deputy expected to replace him.
Lebanon City Manager LEBANON — Pat Clements credited with — bringing stability to the community will retire after 16 years — with the city, and his deputy is expected to replace him.
Clements’ retirement is projected to reduce Lebanon’s annual payroll by $20,000, but the city also will incur a one-time expense of nearly $200,000. That is the amount Clements is expected to receive in severance and unused vacation and sick time.
Clements, 59, is expected to turn over direction of the local government, effective Sept. 30, to Deputy City Manager Scott Brunka.
Clements issued a statement Friday: “It’s been a privilege serving this city for the past 16 years. Although I have mixed emotions about retiring from government service, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family.”
Clements indicated his family was moving to Phoenix later this year.
“Scott Brunka has served this community for over 16 years in
a truly outstanding manner, and I am fully confident that our transition will be seamless. Scott has earned the trust and respect of our community, the City Council, and the staff, and he is ready for this challenge.”
During Wednesday’s work session, Lebanon City Council is scheduled to consider an agreement with Clements through which he is to receive six months of severance pay, as well as compensation for unused sick time and vacation.
The payment will be calculated as of Sept 30, 2017.
The estimated amount, $199,850, includes 504 hours of accrued vacation, $33,308; 1,480 hours of accrued sick time, $97,810; and six months of salary $68,732, according to Clements.
Clements, whose legal name in George, is the highest-paid city employee. He earned $136,963 in 2015, according city records provided for a recent Dayton Daily News story.
Also at Wednesday’s work session, the council is to consider employing Brunka as city manager through Oct. 1, 2023.
His base pay is to be $115,000, so the annual net salary savings should be more than $22,000.
In an interview, Clements expressed “certainly mixed feelings” about leaving the city government. He started as service director in 2001, was named acting city manager in December that year and hired officially in April 2002.
He looked forward to a “well-organized transition” to Brunka’s leadership.
“I think it’s certainly the right thing to do,” Clements said.
On Friday, Clements was meeting with Law Director Mark Yurick, who recalled the state of the city when Clements took over.
The city manager then was among the city officials indicted in connection with a criminal case stemming from $486,415 in buyouts Lebanon City Council granted to three retirees in December 1999.
The case against that person was dropped, and no one was convicted, but the controversy shook the community.
Yurick, who uncovered the issue, said Clements brought “a period of stability” to the local government.
In addition, Clements has seen the city through a shift from local drinking water production and privatization of the city’s cable service. He also has reduced city staff and most recently oversaw efforts to develop a plan for the downtown business district.
“The difference since Pat has been here is night and day,” Yurick said. “We’ll miss his leadership and competence.”