Let’s see: Norfolk is facing a $32 million budget deficit, $53 million if the schools are included. So what austerity measures did the newspaper report today? How about more spending?
The beleaguered Community Services Board, which is funded by a combination of city, state and federal funds, gave their executive director a bonus of $21,700 in meeting that violated FOIA. This is on top of the $15,000 bonus she received last year. Her salary is $115,000. Interesting reason for the bonus:
The committee’s report also said Womack deserved more money because she is modernizing financial management practices and is not making as much as directors of large, urban community services boards in Virginia, who average $142,691.
I suspect there was far more emphasis on the latter than the former.
Then we have the new city manager asking for permission to offer severance benefits – and specifically to offer those benefits to the “retiring” police chief. I’m with Andy Protogyrou on this one:
When you retire, you retire. You take the gold watch and go.
Spending like it’s 1999, is it any wonder that the region’s cost of living has soared?
Norfolk – SMH daily. 
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Oh – forgot one thing: in case you’re interested (and you should be), there will be another community conversation on the budget tonight. This one will be held at the Pretlow Library from 6pm to 8pm.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
my comment for the severance and the bonus is the same. If this was part of the negotiated contract, a non-issue to me. I am sure the City Atty’s office made sure, if in the contract, there was appropriate language to define the conditions underwhich the bonus/severence should be given. If not part of the contract, shouldn’t be given. If, in Womack’s case, she needed more money, and Norfolk’s isn’t a large CSB, that is a time of hiring issue.
Norfolk should have a severence policy for all employees, regardless of level of position in the organization.
PS Norfolk-SMH daily?
Doug:
SMH daily = Shaking My Head daily
And I agree that Norfolk should have a severance pay policy that applies to all employees. Marcus Jones stated in a television interview several days ago that that is what he is asking for, a policy, rather than the current case by case system. So that I support. I do not support a 1 month per year of service formula (private sector is closer to 1 week). And there should be a maximum of say 1 year. In addition, severance should only be paid when the job loss is a result of a layoff or reduction in force. Not when you are terminated for cause, or otherwise asked to resign or retire. Of course, City Council may decide at the time of hiring certain key positions to offer something more than that through employment agreements, but that should be disclosed and discussed publicly.
The City Manager said he is working on an ordinance to lay out a severance policy. I was at the joint city council-school board meeting yesterday morning and he seems to be far more competent that Regina Williams.
Now that’s funny. 😆
thought you would like that part!
Model of consistency. Or insanity.
Or both.
Wasn’t it Benjamin Franklin who defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results each time?
Hell’s bells, Norfolk. I can wave my hand dismissively and bring a let-them-eat-cake attitude to literally hundreds of preventable training-related deaths if it means you’re going to give me a free $75,000 and six months of benefits.
Ohhhh …. but you’d get even more than that. Under Norfolk’s retirement system, you get 2.5% (for police/fire) of your highest three years of pay x your number of years of service for the rest of your life. Police can retire at age 55 (he’s 59). So with only 7 or so years of rocky service, he “retires” and we are on the hook for $28k-$30 a year for life. Beauty eh?