Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Marathon City Manager Clyde Burnett's future may hinge on the outcome of an emergency City Council meeting tonight, convened to discuss allegations of harassment against the city's top nonelected official.

City staff would not disclose the nature of the meeting, but four sources either in or with close ties to city and county governments, confirmed that a city employee has accused Burnett of harassing her. The sources spoke only on the condition their names were not revealed.

"Anything that affects the staff affects the city," Marathon Mayor Mike Cinque said Monday, noting that if anyone was wronged, he would want it put right, and that the council address what to do about the city manager, if anything, at the meeting.

"I'm very disturbed about some of the stuff I'm hearing going on behind the scenes at City Hall," Councilman Pete Worthington said. "I'm trying to get information about what transpired."

Worthington said he would have rather seen the meeting held Monday night, and that he would have supported Burnett's resignation.

"That is a decision [Burnett] is going to have to make," Worthington said.

Burnett told The Citizen he was not submitting his resignation as of Monday, despite persistent rumors that he would. The city manager declined to discuss the nature of the issue that triggered the hastily called council meeting, saying only that it was a misunderstanding inside City Hall.

"Sometimes it's better to try and work through them," Burnett said of such problems. "Sometimes it's better to not work through them."

The meeting was called by the mayor, who said it is important that the council meet to discuss what is happening -- although publicly, no one is ready to spell out exactly what that is.

Three City Council members confirmed they met or spoke with City Attorney Jimmy Morales on Monday to discuss the situation, although all three declined to elaborate on the record.

Councilman Dick Ramsay said he agreed the public should be informed about the issue during the emergency meeting.

"We will face whatever issues we apparently have to face," Ramsay said.

Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward declined to comment about the situation Monday.

The mayor stressed tonight's meeting would be wide open.

While there had been no official announcement by the city Monday afternoon, the meeting is expected to take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Marathon Fire Station.

Burnett was hired as city manager in April 2008. He replaced Mike Puto, who resigned under pressure from the council. Before working with the city, Burnett served on the Key Colony Beach City Commission.

rbusweiller@keysnews.com