Lotter-y: Departing city manager takes $129K payout
The city of Eureka paid former City Manager Dean Lotter more than $96,000 when the two parties decide to part ways last week.
Lotter had served in the city manager capacity for around four months.
The agreement states the city and Lotter “each determined that they are not as effective a team as they had mutually expected, hoped and demanded of themselves to serve the city’s residents.”
It adds Lotter “has decided that he would like to pursue other professional opportunities.”
As part of the separation agreement, Lotter did receive a payout from the city.
“Lotter shall receive a lump sum cash severance equal to the total of his then-current aggregate salary and benefits that he would have been entitled to receive over a period of six (6) months in the amount of $96,157.70,” the agreement shared Friday states.
Additionally, he will receive
$11,769 for accrued vacation and sick time as well as the equivalent of three payments of salary in the amount of $21,250.
In total, Lotter walks away with a payment of more than $129,000.
As part of the agreement, Lotter agrees not to file any legal actions against the city or its employees. Additionally, neither the city or Lotter admits to any wrongdoing.
“The separation will be a very clean one in the sense that both sides will be able to go their own way and put this resignation behind us,” Eureka city attorney Bob Black said during a special
council meeting on May 19.
Councilmembers sought to make as much information as transparent as possible while recognizing residents could be frustrated by not knowing what happened in closed session.
“This is not something that any of us took lightly and I know that it is frustrating to not have more information,” councilmember Natalie Arroyo said during the meeting. “This is something we carefully considered. Many hours were spent.”
The city declined to comment on the separation on Friday.
The city has not yet announced the process to replace Lotter. In the interim, long-time city employee Pam Powell is serving as city manager.
The full agreement can be viewed at https://wp.me/ paePRc-aHhV.