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From The Owosso Independent, Feb. 14, 2007, Volume 23-Number 20
THE TERMINATION agreement between Owosso and City Manager Gregg Guetschow, approved by the City Council on a 4-3 vote (with Mayor Linda Robertson and Councilmembers Joane Ford and Justin Horvath in the minority) was signed by Robertson (left) during a special council meeting Monday night. The meeting was moved to the Owosso Public Safety
Building’s Fire-Ambulance Apparatus area Monday night because the capacity of the Council Chambers at City Hall, at 90 persons as shown by a just-hung paper sign, was expected to be exceeded.

Mayor Pro Tem Mark Owen along with Councilmembers Mike Cline (seated, right), Mike Bruff and Matt Harvey all voted in the majority on accepting Guetschow’s resignation. After papers prepared by City Attorney Bill Brown (standing) were signed, Guetschow left the meeting, shaking hands with each person at the council table, including those who had told him a week earlier he no longer had their support – and they
wanted to go in a new direction.

Total costs for Guetschow’s termination will be more than $61,000. That includes six months pay at just under $40,000; payment of earned unused vacation time for $15,850; plus about $1,100 per month for continuing his health, dental and vision insurance coverage for six months – about $6,600. His health care insurance costs the city about $1,062 per month; dental coverage $62 per month; and the city is self-insured on optical, costing about $22 per month.

The city is not continuing his $400 per month car allowance during the six-month termination pay period, when he will receive his salary on normal payroll cycles. Also, the city will not be paying the 11.65 percent deferred compensation during the six-month termination period. That amounted to $9,200 per year.

Guetschow supporters spoke against removal of the 17-year manager during Monday night’s meeting. Some, like Marsha Lyttle who spoke at the opening of the Feb. 5 meeting, challenged the way Guetschow was told earlier Feb. 5 he no longer had the support of the council’s new majority. One, attorney Mark Hanna, offered to handle any litigation anyone wants to file over alleged Open Meetings Act violations at no charge.

A resident on N. Water Street, said he was “proud of the Fantastic Four” for their actions on Guetschow’s removal, saying the council “finally had some backbone. I’m proud of them.” He called the weakest links on the council Mayor Robertson along with councilmembers Ford and Horvath. He said hundreds of people he’d talked with were unhappy with Guetschow.

The agenda had been set up for citizens to comment after all business was accomplished, an agenda format established a few years ago keeping citizens from commenting before councilmembers reviewed and acted on special meeting agenda items.

..I HOPE the new and improved Owosso city council will seriously consider DROPPING the $400 per month car allowance for the incoming City Manager......

....A guy (or gal) earning $80,000 plus per year should be able to pay his/her own car payments....

Well, yeah....and they SHOULD be able to pick up a portion of their benefits premium every month as well...how much you wanna bet that will NEVER happen? sigh...

We can always hope that whoever negotiates the new C/M contract does so with the best interests of the taxpayers in mind. We can also hope they recognize that many of the benefits freely granted to GG 17 years ago are no longer "gimmies" given the economic climate of today.

Your belief that the new C/M should pay a portion of his own health care & benefits package is not unreasonable. I think it has merit, and should be given serious consideration.

Don't forget to include Bill Brown for about mid-January to Feb. 12 at more than $17,000 for his services.