City commission approves Hunt’s severance package

Former Arena Manager Connie Hunt will receive three months pay as a severance package following a vote by the Corbin City Commission Monday.

Former Corbin Arena Manager Connie Hunt will receive a severance package after all.

The Corbin City Commission voted 3-1 Monday night to give Hunt the three-month package that city officials agreed to when she resigned on June 24.

No mention of the package was made when commissioners voted to accept Hunt’s resignation at a special called meeting.

Rumors swirled about the severance and when asked about it, City Manager Marlon Sams confirmed that Hunt would receive three months of salary along with payment for any unused vacation time she had remaining. However, Sams said the package did not include any extension of Hunt’s health insurance.

When Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney asked for a motion to approve the package, there was initially several moments of silence as none of the three commissioners present, Suzie Razmus, Joe Shelton or Freddy “Bruce” Hodge, made the motion. Commissioner Ed Tye is away on vacation and was not present.

Shelton finally made the motion and Hodge the second, allowing the motion to move forward for a vote.

McBurney joined Shelton and Hodge in voting for the motion while Razmus voted against.

“I thought it was fair,” Shelton said of the severance package.

Razmus said one month would have been sufficient.

“Three months is more than a year’s salary for many of our city employees,” Razmus said. “I just felt it was overly generous.”

Hunt, who was hired in November 2010, drew an annual salary of $96,900.

Three months of gross salary would be $24,225.

The commissioners also approved the job description for the new Arena manager.

In addition to negotiating contracts related to all events at the facility, the manager will be responsible for promoting programs and events, overseeing maintenance, securing outside contractors and preparing the facility for events.

Sams said the goal is to have a new manager in place as soon as possible.

Hodge asked if the commission could require the new manager to live within the Corbin city limits.

“We can’t do that,” McBurney replied.

The resumes will be give to the city’s personnel board.

The board will review the applications and elect which, if any, of the candidates to interview. The personnel board will then make recommendations to the city commission, which has the final decision.

In other business the commission:

• Approved an ordinance amending the city’s budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year.

The ordinance lists $8.312 million in revenues including $872,000 in alcohol-related revenue. The budget originally called for $8.21 million in revenue, including $770,020 in alcohol-related revenue.

The general government budget was increased from $846,830 to $1.230 million.

The fire department budget was reduced from $1.321 million to $1.271 million.

The public works budget was reduced from $1.842 million to $1.542 million

The parks and recreation budget was reduced from $678,765 to $526,813

The special projects budget was increased from $167,450 to $388,057.

The debt service budget was increase from $93,745 to $93,900.

The Arena fund was increase from $1.392 million to $1.497 million.

• Reappointed Sudhir Patel to the Corbin Tourism Commission

• Reappointed Don Ashley and Henry Heaberlin to the Planning and Zoning Board

• Appointed D.L. Lynch to the Planning and Zoning Board. Lynch will take the place of Don Hood, who resigned because of time constraints due to work.

• Approved a request from Freeman, Childers and Howard to install removable bollards to block the alley behind their law practice at 101 South Main Street