Mayor Schedules Special Council Meeting

To Correct Lynch’s Mischaracterizations

ONEONTA – Mayor Russ Southard has scheduled a special meeting of Common Council for 8 a.m. Friday, in part to correct what he said was Council member Mike Lynch’s mischaracterization of an executive session that followed Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Coming out of the executive session, Lynch told the Daily Star reporter he has had “dozens of contacts with city workers who are concerned about the management of the city.  Something’s wrong.  It’s obvious that something is broken and we’re going to find out what it is.”

Southard said no one has approached him individually with such concerns.  City workers have appeared in silent vigil at the last two council meeting – Tuesday and two weeks earlier – but have not verbalized what their concerns may be.

The executive session, the mayor said, was to talk through a “360 Degree City Manager Performance Review” process, similar to one that was put in place for the first city manager, Mike Long.  Friday’s meeting is to set the record straight and to answer any questions members of the public may have.