Opinion: Ex-SLT city manager on the outs in Wash.
Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the Nov. 6, 2015, Yakima Herald-Republic. Tony O’Rourke was city manager of South Lake Tahoe before leaving in 2012 for the Yakima job.
Tony O’Rourke wants out of Yakima. The city manager has put in for at least two out-of-state positions. His house is on the market. He even said so — at a City Council executive session that violated state law, the legal point having been acknowledged by the city attorney.
Tony O’Rourke
But then, in a huff of hubris that careened into denial, O’Rourke rescinded his resignation, a move that sparked unprecedented exasperation and anger at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. The emotion-fraught verbal fracas fittingly corresponded with the flow of Election Night ballots for a new City Council that, apparently, will have to sort through a mess of the current council’s and city manager’s making.
We do know that the next City Council will have four new members among its crew of seven; what we don’t know is whether O’Rourke will be the city manager who reports to them.
He shouldn’t be. When Jan. 1 comes, Tony O’Rourke should be gone. If he isn’t — and the current council shows few signs of being up to the task — the new council should perform this dirty yet dutiful task.
good article old Tony show’s his true colors.
maybe he should try a job that has the saying “would you like fry’s with that”
He got his severance, and will step down December 1st.
http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/o-rourke-to-step-down-dec-and-receive-four-months/article_0b8c1e56-84e2-11e5-b715-63bcfef3281e.html
Gee, what a surprise. No City in their right mind should even consider this guy let alone hire him. Look at the damage he did to South Lake Tahoe. As far as a severance package, he shouldn’t have gotten one. Yakima should have just shown him the door & told him not to let it hit him on the ass on the way out based on his violation of law.
What years was O’Rourke City Manager at SLT? til 2012?
It seems he must have had to have a recommendation from the City of SLT to secure the Yakima position would he not?
And exactly who in SLT recomended this guy to them?
I wonder if it was the same ‘Bunch” that hired Diane Sheerhorn?. Who was it that hired her here in South Lake Tahoe with extraordinary benefits etc!
Going to dig my files out on her NOW:) Some really dirty dirt there as it appears she was just PASSED off on some other unsuspecting parents somewhere! It looks as if it’s the same scenario with O’Rourke. WHO hires these people…that is the question.
Sad to say these examples are the tip of the iceberg.
The folks I know who dealt with O’Rourke during his stay in South Lake Tahoe describe him as a “thug.” Many of those same folks also say that he was Nancy Kerry’s mentor and he recommended her as his replacement – a “damning with faint praise” that she has yet to overcome, or perhaps even try to.
I’ll take an honest fry cook any day over this type of person. No shame in an honest day’s work, whether slinging fries or flipping burgers. I appreciate all who put in an honest day’s work.
He apparently had it too good with the CO gated-ski-community (Breckenridge, Copper Mountain) he came from to get here. . . my calculation shows he most likely made the same “out” move in just a few months here – allowing for time to “look”, respond, apply, interview (maybe a few times) – while taking in Nancy “under his wing” so he could bail when the time came.
“Professionals” all cover for each other, thinking that because it could happen to them, they don’t throw “rocks” at someone wanting out. . .taking a chance is not really “due diligence”, either way. . .
Why do you want this job with us (?). . .afraid to ask, afraid of the answer. . .
He apparently had it too good with the CO gated-ski-community (Breckenridge, Copper Mountain) he came from to get here. . . my calculation shows he most likely made the same “out” move in just a few months here – allowing for time to “look”, respond, apply, interview (maybe a few times) – while taking in Nancy “under his wing” so he could bail when the time came.
“Professionals” all cover for each other, thinking that because it could happen to them, they don’t throw “rocks” at someone wanting out. . .taking a chance is not really “due diligence”, either way. . .
Why do you want this job with us (?). . .afraid to ask, afraid of receiving the answer. . .
Diane Sheerhorn was hired by the school board and her hiring had nothing to do with the city council.
Carl,
Diane Sheerhorn was used as an example of how these ‘Higher’ level positions tend to be ‘filled’ by total frauds and failures passed from one ‘higher’ position in their field to another.
I’ve read that O’Rourke was a ‘thug’ etc. LOL about the current mud slinging going on about behavior at the city hall.
Who gave him(O’Rourke) a recommendation for the Yakima job?
Example: Teachers tend to ‘pass’ students just to get rid of them…pass them on to the next teacher and let them deal with the problem.
Who gave Diane Sheerhorn a reference? I read her history, it was not good, I certainly would not have hired her.
Garry said it best…I should’ve left it at that.
“Professionals” all cover for each other…..