The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Former city manager fighting for benefits
Stoever seeks reimbursement for 2 months beyond medical coverage
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: October 9, 2008
Saline City Council members were asked Monday to consider 24 pages of correspondence between former City Manager Larry Stoever and the mayor, city staff and the city attorney regarding a request Stoever first made seven months ago to have his severance contract amended.
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Stoever said he is owed two more months of medical insurance not included in the final package, but council members voted not to reimburse him $1,439 for the insurance he paid in May and June, the last two months of his severance pay from Saline.
When Stoever resigned a year ago, his agreement included medical benefits through a six-month severance period, but not coverage for two additional months of accumulated leave time. The package was worth more than $70,000.
Stoever said it was the intention of the agreement, however, to provide him with the extended coverage, but that during his rushed separation, this detail was inadvertently left out.
Mayor Gretchen Driskell had no comment before the meeting. City Manager Todd Campbell said Tuesday that there is no policy for severance packages at the city manager level and that any deal offered by the city would be individually negotiated and approved by City Council.
Salaried employees at levels below the city manager who resign would be offered medical insurance only through the end of the calendar month in which they tendered their resignation.
Stoever first brought the issue to the attention of Driskell and City Attorney Allan Grossman in March.
In the detailed letter to Saline City Council dated Sept. 23 he states, "Mayor Driskell has unilaterally denied my requests for the Council to consider this matter."
Council considered an agenda item Sept. 22 to refund Stoever for the processing fees he paid when he took out extended medical coverage. Council, however, unanimously denied the reimbursement without any discussion.
When Stoever resigned last October, he and Driskell said in a joint statement the separation was amicable and in the best interest of all parties.
In a recent letter to the Saline City Council, he presents a different story.
"There was no warning given for this determination and I was provided no adequate verbal or written explanation," he wrote. "The mayor's only verbal explanation for this action by the City Council was that I wasn't 'approachable enough' regarding her ideas for changing the budget process."
In the memo, Stoever recalled his meeting with Grossman Oct. 9.
"I stated I would resign provided that I receive the severance pay as specified in my employment agreement and provided that my group medical insurance was continued during my payout ... I specifically intended that my medical insurance would continue during my payout or accrued leave and severance pay," he wrote.
Stoever added that his asking for the additional medical benefits was not out of "retaliation."
The Brighton Township Board voted Monday to offer Stoever the job of township manager, a position vacant since June. He has been a top candidate in many city and township manager searches in the last year, mostly in Michigan.
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