ROBERT THOMPSON Story by ADRIANNE WALLINE CAMPBELL The DeFuniak City Council held a special meeting to discuss the contract proposal presented by Robert Thompson, City Manager, on Nov. 29, 2022, at the old DFS City Hall. The council had approved a six-month term at the regular meeting the night before (Nov. 28) but did not approve the contract that Thompson had stipulated. Attorney Clay Adkinson relayed the stipulations of a new agreement Thompson requested. He asked that when the six-month term was completed, and receiving satisfactory evaluations from the council, the contract be converted to an open-ended, indefinite agreement, that would then require a 4-to-1 vote to terminate and would not be subject to six-month reviews. In the month preceding the last month of the term, an evaluation would be conducted by the city council. Each council member would turn in an evaluation, four satisfactory evaluations would automatically renew his term. If he moves into that renewed term, evaluations would then be done every 12 months. The termination agreement would be reduced by him giving the city 60 days, to 30 days. And that if terminated, he would receive his base salary for those 30 days. Severance would be due under one of three scenarios: • Termination for any reason other than for cause. • Non-renewal of the employee agreement • Upon his resignation Then severance would be due and payable as a lump sum cash payment equal to 20 weeks aggregate pay, or $46,000. ...
Read More
