Sullard plans deal on leaving post

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2004 | 9:47 a.m.

Boulder City Manager John Sullard announced Tuesday that he intends to have an agreement "on my separation from the city" for the Jan. 27 City Council meeting agenda.

Such a move would mean the council could end Sullard's run as city manager during that meeting.

The mayor and some council members have said they were negotiating with Sullard last week to have him either resign or take a different position with the city, although Mayor Bob Ferraro said Sullard should not be allowed to stay with the city.

Sullard made his brief announcement at the end of the Tuesday night council meeting during time set aside for the city manager to make general comments.

In the past seven months Sullard has weathered a call for his resignation by the mayor, and a series of closed-door meetings with the council regarding his job performance. Criticism of Sullard has focused on his oversight of the financially struggling Boulder Creek Golf Club.

Sullard is an at-will employee, but it would take four council votes to fire him. There are five voting members of the council including the mayor.

According to his contract, Sullard would receive six months severance pay if he is fired or forced to resign. His annual salary is $128,024.

The effort to oust Sullard, city manager since 1997, comes as a group of residents launch an effort to recall Ferraro and Councilman Mike Pacini.

Ferraro has said the negotiations with Sullard were not prompted by the recall.

The recall efforts drew fire from three city residents Tuesday who spoke during the portion of the meeting set aside for citizen comments. One man called those behind the recall sore losers, referring to the June election in which Ferraro beat former City Councilman Bill Smith by 18 votes. If the recall petition is successful Smith and Ferraro would face off again in a special election.

Vaughn Ruether, who is helping with the recall effort, said that as of Tuesday night they had about 450 signatures on the recall petitions, which is about one-third the number they need.