The City of Brookings rehired suspended City Manager Janelle Howard, with a new contract. The vote was 4-1, Councilor Isaac Hodges dissenting.
Howard pled no contest to a Theft Three violation which the Curry County District Attorney Joshua Spansail reduced from a misdemeanor. The convicted City Manager was arrested for shoplifting from the Fred Meyer Store, July 4.
While her case meandered through the Court system, Howard was fully paid while the City hired Christy Wurster as City Manager Pro Tem. Three members in the audience addressed the Councilors expressing varying levels of opposition to re-hiring Howard.
Former Councilor John McKinney, speaking on behalf of some anonymous City employees, called the action to rehire Howard “a slap in the face…Howard does not meet City Standards and she’s guilty of moral turpitude.”
After Public comments were closed, Mayor Ron Hedenskog asked the Council for comments on the re-hiring of Howard. There were none.
Mayor Ron Hedenskog
By Roger Gitlin
The Mayor delivered his comments on the Howard re-hiring “I’ve made my position very clear on this issue and did so before I was re-elected, last November. Then, Hedenskog made the motion to offer a new contract to Howard, Councilor Ed Schreiber seconded Hedenskog’s motion. Councilors Michelle Morosky and Andy Martin voted with Schreiber and Hedenskog. Isaac Hodges was the lone vote. Hodges offered an apology to City citizens, after the vote was recorded.
Howard resumed her position, February 1.
On a separate item, with thanks and gratitude, on Schreiber’s motion and Hedenskog’s second, councilors voted unanimously to terminate Wurster’s Pro Tem contract, effective January 31.
