S. Tahoe council fails to deliver city manager’s review
By Kathryn Reed
South Lake Tahoe City Manager Tony O’Rourke says he has asked for a copy of his review, but that Mayor Claire Fortier said he wouldn’t see it until May 1.
The review is now nine months overdue. O’Rourke told Lake Tahoe News he is used to annual reviews.
His review has been on the City Council’s closed session agenda since last fall. This is a common practice for elected bodies to have items as a placeholder so they can talk about the person in the top role without violating the Brown Act.
Tony O'Rourke
Lake Tahoe News on Tuesday sent the five councilmembers an email asking about O’Rourke’s review. Only Councilwoman Angela Swanson responded.
“Employee reviews are confidential and can’t be discussed in specific. Tony’s performance as city manager has exceeded council’s expectations. He made the tough calls for us; tackling a deficit, implementing a staff reorganization and addressing health care and pension issues among other accomplishments in these past 15 months,” Swanson wrote to Lake Tahoe News. “I expect Tony to continue giving 110 percent to the job until he leaves. We have a strong senior staff prepared to continue the city’s business.”
While O’Rourke is looking for other jobs, he said, “I’ve made it clear to them I’m not in a rush. I could be up to a year.”
O’Rourke’s three-year contract expires in August 2013.
He said it is important to him to be reviewed on a regular basis and welcomes what the council will have to say. O’Rourke also said based on what the city has just gone through he would never expect an increase in pay.
the hired hatchetman wants his review. maybe one of the ‘volunteers’ that he recommended handle community services so that the ‘city’ doesn’t have to waste money on can write it for him-they’re great at multitasking. or maybe one of the people ‘let go’ in the ‘reorganization’ process can do it.
what a town.
If the council can’t agree on the review, there won’t be a review.. What else could it be?
Or maybe they don’t want the blowback of releasing a glowing report of how they think he’s doing when so much has been very unpopular? They’re covering their behinds too.
We should Flush the Toilet and rid our town of the likes of all members of the Council and the City Mgr and all of his associates.
the pain and suffering that has been caused buy this group of people has ruined the lives of many very good employees and caused heartbreak for families. What was done could have been done much better and without so much harm to so many.
We can only pray that our residents here will go to the polls and vote in some new, young and fresh people, that care about the people of Tahoe and not THEMSELVES and there personal agendas.
Give it a rest, XLOCAL!
Actually, lack of reviews of management staff is a problem in many arenas. I did a management survey of the organization I worked for as my masters thesis. It was on management’s presence of and feelings about their own evaluations. Seventy five per cent of the managers had not received evaluations in a number of years and it did effect their morale. Managers are required to supervise and evaluate their staff, but boards and senior management tend to put off evaluations of the management staff. This does affect morale when leaders put their all into supervising, managing and evaluating their staff, but they, themselves are not respected enough to get an evaluation. Tony deserves an evaluation of his job to date. C’mon, council, get this done!
I don’t understand the issue – he’s getting his review in a few days.
What’s the big deal? He states he’s not in a rush. Grannylou, no disrespect but I don’t belive Mr. O’Roarke has moral issues.
Once again “IT’S MILLER TIME” Bring Kerry
Back.