A Stuart city leader has a novel idea. City Commissioner Sean Reed proposes that he and the rest of the commissioners work without pay.<\/p>\n
“We as elected officials give up our paychecks for the next two years to pay back taxpayers.”<\/p>\n
Reed made the suggestion during last night’s meeting after voting against rehiring former City Manager Michael Mortell. The contract for Mortell was approved in a 3 to 2 vote by the board, nearly a year after the commission fired him without cause. <\/p>\n
Mortell was paid $102,000 in severance and his replacement Michael Giardino is being paid about $75,000 severance after he was fired last month. <\/p>\n
Reed says the roughly $20,000 salaries could be saved to pay back residents for those severance payment costs. <\/p>\n
“My position is truly public service. I don’t need a paycheck to continue to do what I do for the, my constituents that support me.”<\/p>\n
It will be taken up at a meeting next month.<\/p>\n