An unusual jobs plan

Like many communities these days, Peekskill, N.Y., is facing a budget crunch. But in trying to close the gap, the acting city manager took an unusual step — he suggested cutting his own job, according to the Peekskill-Cortland Patch.

Acting city manager Brian Havranek’s $35.6 million budget proposal is designed to help the city close a $4.9 million budget shortfall. The proposal would eliminate 31 full-time and nine part-time positions across the city payroll.

Havranek also took direct aim at his own job. His budget provides only nine months of funding for the assistant city manager’s position and three months of funding for the city manager’s position.

Havranek, who was assistant city manager, has been serving temporarily as acting city manager since December. He doesn’t have a college degree, one of the requirements for the permanent position as city manager. His budget proposal, then, eliminates his permanent position with the city.

For Havranek, who’s been employed by the city for almost 30 years, the numbers just didn’t add up. “Going forward, the city budget can’t have a full-time assistant city manager and a full-time city manager,” he told the Peekskill-Cortland Patch. “Ultimately, my budget calls for the elimination of the assistant city manager’s position after nine months.”

Havranek’s action mirrors that of Keller, Texas city manager Dan O’Leary. Last March, O’Leary said the city’s administration was top-heavy with a manager and two assistant managers. So O’Leary resigned, recommending that his two assistants keep their jobs.