City manager vote erupts into verbal jabs

City Manager Katrina Powell

By Charles Sercombe
For a few minutes, Tuesday’s city council meeting was a reminder of the city’s political feuds of the 1990s.
The cause of the friction was a resolution to start contract negotiations with City Manager Katrina Powell, whose contract expires this June.
The discussion quickly became heated with insults and barbs tossed back and forth among councilmembers. It also once again revealed a deep split on council.
Councilmembers Anam Miah, Mohammed Hassan, Saad Almasmari and Abu Musa have been butting heads with Councilmembers Andrea Karpinski and Ian Perrotta and also Mayor Karen Majewski on several issues.
At Tuesday’s meeting, that rift grew wider when Perrotta proposed having the city attorney negotiate a contract extension, for at least one year, with Powell.
In his resolution, Perrotta credited Powell with being “successful in moving the city past emergency management and stabilizing the city’s financial condition.”
His resolution also said the “council believes that the city would benefit from the steadiness and continued leadership” of Powell.
The council had not previously discussed Powell’s future with the city.
Before a discussion was held on the resolution, Perrotta said another reason to have the city attorney work on a contract extension was to see if Powell is even interested in staying here.
Powell has not given any indication whether she wants to remain in her position. In a telephone interview with The Review after the meeting on Wednesday, Powell acknowledged that.
“Nobody’s even asked me,” she said.
The Review then asked her if she wants to stay on the job.
“I don’t know,” Powell said. “But my heart is with this community.”
Powell has been with the city for two years. For the past year she has faced growing criticism from Councilmembers Miah, Hassan, Abu and Almasmari.
But at Tuesday’s meeting Hassan and Musa gave mixed messages. Hassan said he was concerned about the role of the state-appointed Receivership Transition Advisory Board and its possible role in extending Powell’s contract. He added that he is supportive of Powell, but would at this time vote against seeking a contract extension.
He could not be reached for comment to clarify his position.
Musa also said he is supportive of Powell, but it was unclear why he objected to a contract extension negotiation.
Almasmari and Miah, on the other hand, were outspoken in their objection to Powell.
Miah said Powell has not included the council on major decisions, such as hiring department heads.
“From day one I have tried to work with her,” Miah said.
Powell later said that she has gone out of her way to keep council abreast of her decisions, and that technically by order of the former emergency manager and the city charter she was not obligated to include the council.
Powell also pointed out that Miah has not contacted her office since 2014 and that during that year he called only five times.
“At no point in time have you reached out to me,” Powell said.
Almasmari echoed Miah’s complaint that Powell leaves the council out of decision making, but also accused her of failing to oversee the Police Department.
He based that claim on four civil rights lawsuits filed against the department during Powell’s tenure. He added that more than 50 percent of the community does not support Powell – which prompted Mayor Majewski to question the origin of that claim.
“None of us has a way of knowing” Powell’s community support, Majewski said.
From there the discussion started to fall apart, and led to Majewski abruptly calling for a vote.
Not surprisingly, the vote failed along the already established fault line. After the vote, Majewski took Councilmembers Miah, Hassan, Abu and Almasmari to task. She noted that under Powell’s leadership the city has overcome a financial crisis and even has a budget surplus, started up a regular street repair program and began major sewer repairs.
“You’ve clearly not seen any of the positive things that have happened in our city,” Majewski said.
Majewski also lashed out at Councilmember Miah, who she said his opposition stems from Powell firing “your buddy,” former Police Chief Max Garbarino.
She added she was “disgusted” with the four councilmembers who voted against the resolution.
On her Facebook page, Majewski didn’t hold back any punches in her criticism.
“The other council members used the opportunity to slam the city manager and make untrue claims (that means lie). … These guys don’t give a s— about the city,” Majewski said.
“They care about their titles and personal power. Register to f—ing vote here, people! And fight like hell against the guys who just want to exploit the city.”
As the meeting progressed Perrotta also lashed out, calling Councilmember Almasmari a “moron” and “stupid.”
A notable gasp erupted from those attending the meeting.
After the meeting it was reported by several witnesses that Councilmember Hassan threatened RTAB member Mark Stema.
Stema has been a supporter of Powell.
Neither Hassan nor Stema could be reached for comment.
At this point it is not clear what steps city officials will take in filling the position of city manager, or if the RTAB will step in to extend Powell’s contract. At the board’s last meeting there was talk among members of playing some kind of a role in Powell’s future with the city.
The RTAB next meets on Feb. 28.