Inside Venice Florida

Saturday, 23 June 2012

Finance Director Jeff Snyder Sues City for Breach of Contract, I think the City is Wrong.

Greg Giles in the Venice Gondolier Sun reports that Jeff Snyder has begun a suit against the City.

Snyder was hired as a Charter Officer and received an employment agreement which was the standard for Charter Officers. In addition to a salary, the agreement provided for certain benefits including a six month termination agreement for breach of contract.

In 2006 the City's Charter Commission agreed to City Manager Marty Black's wish to consolidate his power by having the Finance Director report to him and not be an equal, i.e.,a Charter Officer. The City voters followed the Charter Committee's recommendation. (As a citizen columnist for the Gondolier, at that time, I opposed the recommendation feeling the checks and balances of having the Finance Director independent were of value, since the City Managers had exercised a good deal of power unilaterally in recent years. Weak councils had allowed that, perhaps encouraged it to avoid the responsibility for some actions.)

Snyder's job duties remained the same, only his reporting relationship changed. The City Manager and Mayor at that time felt his compensation should not be changed since his duties had not been. That was Mayor Calamaras. Later Mayor Hammett agreed as did I.

However, Mayor Holic felt the Charter vote required a change in his compensation agreement. His salary was not changed but his separation agreement was cancelled. Holic did not seek Council approval for this change, raising questions about the limits of his powers as one member of the seven member council.

Snyder asked for reconsideration. He received none. Finally, he felt he needed to defend his contractual interests and filed suit. The Mayor agrees his actions were not based on Snyder's performance, but on his personal notion of what was in order.

In Giles article he notes the City may have waited to announce this change until after a five year statute of limitations on contract issues, not exactly ethical and transparent if that was the intent.

For Giles's story see the link below.

Click Here to Link directly to this article publisheed in the Venice Gondolier Sun.