Thursday, March 28, 2024

Town used too many Franklins to fire Jefferson

I have just recently read the stories on the firing of our town manager Harlan Jefferson and I am appalled at the lack of fiscal responsibility of our Mayor and Town Council.  It appears that the same wanton spending of taxpayer’s monies by the federal government is also shared by Flower Mound government officials.  The facts as I see them:

•         Mr. Jefferson was employed “at will and pleasure of the Town Council”

•         He was “fired” by the town council

•         He will be paid a severance for 22 months at an annual salary of $187,995 totaling $374,000 plus benefits

•         Mayor Hayden states that “this payment will not have a meaningful impact on the town’s finances”

•         Both Jefferson and the town have entered into a mutual confidentiality agreement

I don’t know Mr. Jefferson or of his performance.  He very well may be a quality person who was doing a quality job but…Have we lost our minds? And where is the Mayor and Councils accountability?  Mr. Jefferson was employed “at will” which to me in the private sector means you can be here today and gone tomorrow.  OK, maybe out of compassion and fairness you are due some severance but 22 months at a taxpayers cost in excess of $400,000?  Then our Mayor deems it as “not having a meaningful impact on our town budget”.  Is this how our tax dollars are viewed?  Is this the Mayor and Council we need who views $400,000 as not meaningful?  In today’s times we need to kick and scream over a $40,000 expenditure much less an expense 10 times that amount.  This is irresponsible management of our tax dollars.  Finally everybody hides under a cloak of “confidentiality agreements”.  This stinks and the taxpayers deserve a complete explanation of this use of our tax dollars.  All of us as taxpayers and citizens need to challenge government at all levels when we see this kind of reckless spending of our tax dollars without adequate explanation.  We need to remember the line from the 1970’s movie Network…” I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.” 

Bill Reineck
Flower Mound, TX

 

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