The citizen's question at the 6-28-10 selectboard meeting was: "How much is this all going to cost?" [editor's note: "this" refers to the aftermath of the vendetta firing of former town manager Sharon Jackson by the majority on the newly installed board 6-22-09.]
The citizen expanded his question, adding "I mean all of it, including the paying of double managers, payouts, how much it would have cost if we hadn't hired...." At that moment 2 selectmen plus the town manager interrupted on top of each other to assure the questioner - and the audience - that there would most certainly be a thorough accounting.
Financial Clerk and Deputy Treasurer Sharon Gendreau keeps excellent records, and there is most certainly information to document a thorough accounting. However, in case the town's accounting only reports the details of the payout to Sharon Jackson as a result of the final mediated settlement out-of-court for Jackson vs. the Town of Paris, TPR will report, from its own research, information gathered from a variety of sources, over a period of time.
Financial information reported in this posting is consistent with public information on record at the Paris Town Office. Any editorial conclusions are strictly the purview of The Paris Reporter.
In an effort to frame the past year in a more focused perspective for this accounting, for those who think in a visual mode, TPR offers a timeline overview, linked here.
TPR's accounting:
(1) Total payout for S Jackson prior to mediation:
From 6-30-09 to 11-03-09, salary & benefits = $49,109.33
(2) Total owed to S Jackson to date after the 6-24-10 out-of-court settlement (see breakdown):
From 7-1-09 to 11-10-09, back pay at rate of July 1 higher rate of pay because 6-22-09 vote to terminate was not considered valid; and from 11-17-09 to 3-09-10, severance pay from the date of the accepted termination date , the 10-09 ratification of the 6-22 termination = $32,502.76
(3) Total of 1 & 2:
When everything owed former town mgr. S. Jackson is paid = $81,612.09
Continuing, we consider, inasmuch as bills have been presented, the following directly related costs:
(4) Legal costs for this topic, see details, from 7-09 through 5 -10: [editor's note: Readers will need to keep in mind, then, that this figure is going to be significantly higher.]
8-19-09, invoice #3312150, through 6-16-10, invoice # 3336469 = $9,651.81
(5) Total of 3 & 4:
Total payout after mediation, $81,612.09, plus legal costs to date, $9,651.81 = $91,263.90
For those of weak heart, stop now. But Paris tax payers have already paid more in related costs. Consider:
(6) Cost of interim manager after firing real manager:
7-1-09 to 12 - 31-09 = $17,439.30
(7) Cost of current town manager while S. Jackson was already supposed to be being paid:
1-01-10 through 3-2-10 = $15,471.53
[editor's note: The current town manager's rate of pay may seem somewhat higher than expected because his benefits include health insurance for the town mgr. and his wife. Not something much talked about...]
(8) Cost of paying 2 managers at a time:
Cost for S. Jackson payout,plus legal costs, total, $91,263.90, plus interim mgr., $17,439.30, plus current mgr. for 2 mos., $15,471.53 = $124,174.73
(9) Cost for advertising for current town manager:
Advertising, 12-09, for the position still vacant from the 6-22-09 firing = $1009.61
(10) Running total...so far:
$125,184.34
Lest any of this be swept under the rug... in the guise of Paris is just fine... doing business as usual.... Just exactly what does that mean, business as usual?
We, the tax payers, should trust now, right? Are you serious? Selectboard and administration will have to prove that to us.
