Council unanimously approved that preliminary resolution of its intent to terminate Adkins and suspend him with pay pending the final termination resolution. The preliminary resolution was approved as an emergency measure that took immediate effect.
The Journal-News has left numerous messages with Adkins seeking comment on his future plans or if he was going to seek a public hearing concerning his termination as provided in the City Charter. As of midday Friday, none of those calls have been returned by Adkins.
Earlier this week, Acting City Manager Susan Cohen declined to comment on what the city offered Adkins in exchange for a possible resignation.
The charter provides for three months of salary from the date of the preliminary resolution for a city manager being terminated. Although past councils have initiated the process to terminate the city manager, all eventually submitted their resignations before a final termination vote was held by council, according to city records.
In the Nov. 5 preliminary resolution, council said it was commencing the process as it “no longer desires to employ Douglas Adkins as City Manager because of irreconcilable differences between Council and Mr. Adkins concerning leadership style, and these differences make his continued work as City Manager untenable.”
City spokeswoman Shelby Quinlivan said earlier this week that a request for proposals was being prepared for the new city manager search. That process cannot start until Adkins is officially terminated by council or a separation agreement is negotiated, according to city officials. The selection process for a new city manager could take six to nine months, officials said.
Adkins, 56,was hired in September 2005 as an assistant city prosecutor. He eventually was promoted to city prosecutor and community redevelopment director before becoming city manager in June 2014. His current contract expires in July 2020, and his annual salary is $165,000.
Much of the Middletown community was surprised about the pending termination of Adkins despite the many accomplishments that the city has seen in his tenure. Many of Adkins’ accomplishments as city manager were outlined in his plan when he applied and was eventually hired for the position in 2014.
Middletown City Managers
1956 to 2019
Charlie Thompson, March 1956-March 1964
Dan Kothe, June 1964-September 1970
Dale Helsel, October 1970-May 1985
William Burns, October 1985-January 1988
William Klosterman, July 1988-August 1992
Ron Olsen, November 1992-November 2004
William Becker, March 2005-March 2007
Judith Gilleland, January 2008-July 2014
Doug Adkins July 2014-Nov. 5, 2019, suspended with pay pending termination proceedings
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