Hudson’s severance package to include three months of salary, benefits
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
Kirby Hudson presides over one of his last meetings as Coatesville city manager.
COATESVILLE – City Council approved City Manager Kirby Hudson’s resignation in a 5-0 vote Monday night.
Taking effect Dec. 29, Council also approved of a severance package that will pay Hudson for three months and include benefits. Should Hudson find other employment in that time, the package will pay the difference in salary if he makes less than what he made working for the city.
Council members thanked Hudson for his service to the city and wished him luck in the future.
Hudson declined comment.
Council President Joe Hamrick said that the city is already conducting interviews for an interim manager. If they do not find one by Hudson’s resignation on the 29th, Finance Director John Marcarelli will serve as the city’s head administrator. Hamrick also said that once an interim manager is appointed, a committee of city employees will be formed to search for a new fulltime manager.
Immediately following Monday night’s meeting, Council held a budget workshop to attempt to balance finances for 2015.
Earlier this month, Council decided to not borrow any money from the city’s trust fund and not raise taxes. These decisions left the budget $1.6 million short. Coming into the meeting, Council made $1.361 million in cuts and found another $191,000 on Monday night though some of those cuts are still under consideration.
Cuts included a variety of jobs with the city as well as scaling back hours for some employees, and closing down the community center.
Marcarelli said that city departments have been reduced to the bare minimum. Additional reductions will mean they can no longer function.
Some items seemed to be relatively easy for council to get rid of, such as money set aside for outside services that the city had not used in a couple of years. Other items, such as a $117,000 cut proposed by Police Chief Jack Laufer, look like they may end up back in the budget.
Laufer’s proposition would have cut part time police hours and a part time receptionist. However, those hours would have to be filled by others in the department, and with overtime, those cuts may actually be more expensive. Council member Arvilla Hunt advised fellow councilors to make sure they consider these facets.
Council will continue to discuss the budget in another workshop Friday at 6 before looking to pass the budget on Monday. Ed Simpson and Linda Lavender Norris agreed that in that time, council should err on the side of making certain cuts so that they can pass a balanced budget before the end of the year. Later, they can make amendments to the budget or borrow from the trust fund if any emergencies occur throughout the year.
Hamrick said that the process has been difficult but necessary.
“Where are we going to get the money—borrow from the trust fund again? Can the tax payer really afford a tax increase? No,” he said.
