Fritsch to get closed meeting

Diana Sahagun

Monday, Nov. 13, 2000 | 11:15 a.m.

City Manager Kurt Fritsch has asked for a closed-door personnel session to discuss his performance, hoping to clear up allegations that he is violating policy and to put an end to the rising tension inside City Hall.

The meeting will take place Wednesday during the regularly scheduled council meeting.

Closed-door meetings are typically held to discuss character, alleged misconduct, professional competence or the physical health of a person.

Councilman John Rhodes has dished out the majority of accusations against Fritsch and asked for a closed-door meeting to discuss the allegations at the council's Nov. 1 meeting. When the item came before the council, though, Rhodes voted to strike it from the agenda.

Fritsch said he put the closed meeting back on the agenda to bring the allegations to a close. The tension has interrupted city business, he said, and has put city staff in the middle.

"It's a chance for the six of us to sit down and discuss performance and expectations. And if there are issues, we need to get that out on the table and we need to get them resolved," he said.

In recent weeks Rhodes has accused Fritsch of polling council members outside a council meeting for a new travel policy that was designed to increase accountability for council members. Rhodes has since sent a letter to the attorney general's office asking for an investigation into the allegation.

Rhodes also has accused Fritsch of violating the new policy -- that accusation prompted Rhodes to ask for a closed meeting that he ultimately cancelled.

At the Oct. 16 meeting Rhodes accused Fritsch of showing favoritism and not following the new policy, which was adopted Sept. 6.

Armed with a final travel expense report submitted by Councilman William Robinson for a Sept. 21 trip, Rhodes pointed out that although the trip was taken after the policy went into effect, there were no signatures on the sheet.

According to a memo sent out by the city attorney following the the meeting, Robinson had his travel plans approved the third week of August, two weeks before the new travel policy went into effect.

Mayor Michael Montandon said he hopes the closed door meeting clears the air and that the city can continue on with its business.

"We need to air what the concerns are rather than try to guess what each other means," he said.

Fritsch believes there is nothing legitimate to the accusations against him and welcomes an investigation.

"I am very confident they will find there is no polling, there is nothing going on behind the scenes, because I don't do that," he said.