Statement from Warren Mayor James Fouts that he will not implement free lifetime healthcare for former City Council members.
“I’m outraged and angry about this unbelievable action by the city council to vote unanimously for a golden parachute benefit package without proper notification to the Mayor, City Attorney, Human Resources Director or any person of responsibility in city hall. This was purposely not communicated with my administration and myself personally until after the 72-hour period for the Mayor’s veto.
I was BLINDSIDED BY THIS LAST MINUTE EFFORT AT SUBVERTING my power to veto.
This is an unconscionable action beyond my wildest imagination. Instead of voting on the administration’s recommendation for the employees’ healthcare, they sweetened it with lifetime healthcare benefits at an exorbitant potential cost to the city financial future.
An amendment of this one that is so far-reaching needs my recommendation to city council and it NEVER HAPPENED! They had a duty to inform me and instead they were negligent in not informing the Mayor and/or any other key member of this administration.
The council tried to make this veto proof. However, this will not happen, because as soon as I was informed many weeks later I issued a directive and we launched an investigation, and I made the decision that this will NOT be implemented by this administration. This already has been dead on arrival.
We will be researching to find out who was the author of this illegal resolution and when that is determined, we will deal with the person severely including termination.
Due to the negligence of the office of the council by not informing my office or administration, I will formally be requesting that future city council correspondence of this nature be hand-delivered to my office and require a time stamp by my staff.”