Days after the resignation of long-serving Cosmopolis city staff and not long after the public revelation of the dire condition of the city’s general fund, anger and betrayal showed on the faces of many in a packed city council meeting in the firehouse on Wednesday night.
Requests for restraint and respect by the recently-elected Mayor Linda Springer failed to sway some, as cutting remarks from the crowd greeted her speech and tension snarled through the warm room alongside the susurrus of whispered side conversations.
“We’ve had staff that left on Friday. We wish them the best. We’re unable to answer any questions related to former personnel,” Springer said. “My continued goal is to serve this city and its citizens. I’m going to be a good steward of the city finances and resources. I’m going to continue to do my best to get us out of the red, and get us into the black.”
Springer said despite the scale of the challenge, she’s committed to the fight back.
“I’m going to continue to do my best to get us out of the red, and get us into the black. I had no idea how bad this was when I walked in,” Springer said. “I said to my department heads, please, come to the table. Please bring ideas. Please bring suggestions. Not everyone did. But I think they tried.”
Springer also reaffirmed the fact that annexation by Aberdeen has not been and will not be considered.
“Cosmopolis is unique,” Springer said. “There’s a real sense of pride about this community.”
Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World Mayor Linda Springer speaks during a fraught Cosmopolis City Council meeting on Wednesday.
Police contract
Springer and her council have initiated action to push back, they said, voting Wednesday night to hire an outside CPA and to contract with the Aberdeen Police Department, while retaining one full time officer and Chief Heath Layman for part-time. Layman stated that the APD contract is the best option at hand as the city works to figure out a permanent solution.
“I think it’s a phenomenal option. It’s the absolute best option,” Layman said in a phone interview. “It was my idea to cut me. Not the mayor’s. I introduced that idea months ago.”
It’s a first for the APD, said Chief Dale Green, but it makes good sense — Cosmopolis gets roughly the same number of calls in a month that Aberdeen gets in half a day, Green said; APD can absorb the increased load for a little while as a more permanent solution is sought by the city.
“We already go over there so much that I don’t think it’s a stretch for our officers to do that,” Green said in an interview. “Our officers are quite adept at handling a large number of calls.”
The former Cosmopolis city administrator reached out to Aberdeen, Green said, starting the process; now, it needs to work through the legal teams and then the respective city councils, hopefully going into effect by early May.
“It kind of just formalizes what we do already,” Green said. “Their billable call load is much less.”
With a full time officer and part time chief, CPD would cover part of the month, with APD picking up the remainder, according to the body of the proposal. The expected monthly cost is a little more than $10,000 per month. The priority for APD would be responding to crimes in progress and crimes against persons, Green said, with CPD handling crimes considered not in-progress during their working day.
The council voted to approve the proposal. The public safety subcommittee is also working on a proposal for a maintenance and operation levy to assist the police department, said Councilor Kim Skinner.
Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World Councilmember Kim Skinner speaks during a Cosmopolis City Council meeting on Wednesday.
Staffing issues
Longtime City Administrator Darrin Raines, along with Finance Director Julie Pope, Public Works Director Jeff Nations and City Clerk Cheryl Chrt, resigned last week, many of their letters citing the hostile work environment that began this year, the start of Springer’s mayoral term and the start of terms for a new group of city councilors.
The en masse resignation, perceived by many members of the public as driven by the newly elected officials, has been polarizing.
“I’ve spoke to the mayor several times about her demeanor and I couldn’t do it anymore. I called her last Thursday to say things are going bad,” said veteran Councilor Jim Ancich. “I just want it to be known, the staff here was committed to this city. They worked their asses off. Some for 36 years.”
Other councilors were more neutral in their tone, focusing on moving forward.
“I’m sorry to see what happened Friday, but what happened happened,” said Councilor Mark Collett. “We need to move forward.”
The mass resignation is a new sort of predicament, said resident Steve Davis during the public comment period.
“We have not been here. I’ve heard that from staff several times, we’ve been here before. We have not been here before,” Davis said. “The mill’s down. There’s stuff going on with the police department. We have no staff.”
Some positions have been filled, such as rehiring former police clerk Kacey Grove, a victim of the department’s layoffs, as part time city clerk and part time police clerk, Springer said in an interview.
The council also voted to seek a contract with an outside CPA to help get fresh eyes on the issue.
“How do we save money? We need to save money. We need to look at how we do business in this community,” Springer said. “I needed a lot more answers. One of things I’ve looked at is cities that were struggling, how do they come back. They bring in professionals. Folks I’m telling you right now it can’t be business as usual. Things need to change.”
Springer said that she had already selected a CPA, an announcement that was met with concerns about the selection process.
“These things were hit with us so fast and so hard,” said Councilor Skinner, after voting to approve the proposal to hire a CPA. “I would like to have more options at a future date than right now.”
The city is working through that process currently, Springer said.
“This community has been experiencing financial difficulties. It’s not new to this community,” Springer said. “I think it’s important for an outside perspective to take a fresh look at a different way to do business and investments to get the city back in the black even on limited resources.”
Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World Councilmember Jeremy Winn speaks during a Cosmopolis City Council meeting on Wednesday.
Public discontent
For some, that’s not enough, as members of the public gave voice to their thoughts at the meeting’s one public comment period, which came after the voting.
“The citizens really didn’t get a voice,” Davis said. “I’m discouraged by that.”
For others, it’s more than mere discouragement.
“You guys have to open your eyes. You have failed us as a community,” said resident Shawn Bridges. “You’re new, but you’re not listening to what we’re saying.”
Springer has affirmed the city’s commitment to hearing the voices of its residents going forward, stating she’s always open to talking with residents as they work toward the future.
“I recognize that people were unhappy that there was only one public comment period. I recognize that and I appreciate their comments,” Springer said. “My goal is that every meeting will have a workshop meeting before. I recognize that the citizens want to be heard. My job is to listen to citizens. That’s one of the purposes of having a workshop meeting before meetings.”
Recently elected Councilor Jeremy Winn attempted to calm the crowd by assuring folks that the situation was in hand.
“These are people that have your best interests at heart,” Winn said. “We’re going to have some differences of opinion, we have different backgrounds and different information.”
Some members of the crowd were less than completely mollified.
“I have known almost all of you. I am so disappointed in you Mr. Winn. All you do is talk. You don’t say anything,” said Candice Makos, a former councilor. “Justin (Spargo), I applaud you. Jim (Ancich), I applaud you. (Kim) Skinner, eh. The rest of you suck.”
Springer affirmed her commitment to Cosmopolis.
“My goal is to move the city forward,” Springer said. “I love this city. I’m passionate.”
The next city council meeting is scheduled for April 16 at 6 p.m.
Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@thedailyworld.com.
