Question: As County Manager, what action would you take?

1. Hire an attorney to enforce the provision of your employment contract that by precedence has established the policy of that the County would be paying for all educational expenses. Since the self-assessment and results were mailed to your personal residence, argue they are not public records.

Answer #3 is recommended. In reviewing the tenet, the member should elect to pursue #3, and meet the tenet’s intent with a compromise.  Educational opportunities are often available in book publications, on-line and within a close driving distance.  Membership cost to ICMA & FCCMA may be born by the employee, but can also be bargained with the new commission members.  The manager’s contractual language regarding education is vague and needs to be addressed when the political climate and/or commission’s demeanor improves.  During the interim; however, the manager should not want to allow the educational reimbursement issue to manifest into a contractual quagmire that could result in termination.

2. Explain to the commission that failure to appropriate funds for your professional memberships coupled with travel costs constitutes a reduction in contractual benefits and that it will be grounds for you to sue and collect on the severance package.

Answer #3 is recommended. In reviewing the tenet, the member should elect to pursue #3, and meet the tenet’s intent with a compromise.  Educational opportunities are often available in book publications, on-line and within a close driving distance.  Membership cost to ICMA & FCCMA may be born by the employee, but can also be bargained with the new commission members.  The manager’s contractual language regarding education is vague and needs to be addressed when the political climate and/or commission’s demeanor improves.  During the interim; however, the manager should not want to allow the educational reimbursement issue to manifest into a contractual quagmire that could result in termination.

3. Encourage the commission to recognize the importance of professional membership and seek a compromise in travel reimbursement.

Correct! In reviewing the tenet, the member should elect to pursue #3, and meet the tenet’s intent with a compromise.  Educational opportunities are often available in book publications, on-line and within a close driving distance.  Membership cost to ICMA & FCCMA may be born by the employee, but can also be bargained with the new commission members.  The manager’s contractual language regarding education is vague and needs to be addressed when the political climate and/or commission’s demeanor improves.  During the interim; however, the manager should not want to allow the educational reimbursement issue to manifest into a contractual quagmire that could result in termination.

4. Acknowledge that your continuing education can be supplemented with the reading of publications that will not incur travel expenses, but that they should fund some intrastate conference attendance. Finally, offer to reimburse the County for costs associated with the self-assessment testing.

Answer #3 is recommended. In reviewing the tenet, the member should elect to pursue #3, and meet the tenet’s intent with a compromise.  Educational opportunities are often available in book publications, on-line and within a close driving distance.  Membership cost to ICMA & FCCMA may be born by the employee, but can also be bargained with the new commission members.  The manager’s contractual language regarding education is vague and needs to be addressed when the political climate and/or commission’s demeanor improves.  During the interim; however, the manager should not want to allow the educational reimbursement issue to manifest into a contractual quagmire that could result in termination.