Councilmen: Gary Boden was forced out

By Jason Nevel
Herald Staff Writer

June 30, 2009 10:58 am

— CLINTON — On paper, Gary Boden resigned as Clinton’s city administrator but some council members say he was forced out through behind-the-scenes talks initiated by Mayor Rodger Holm.
Second Ward councilman Mike Kearney and First Ward councilman Bob Soesbe, who both voted against accepting Boden’s resignation last week, say Holm was the driving force behind Boden’s departure.
“My knowledge is that this came from the mayor who made statements to me that this was his initiative,” Kearney said.
Holm could not be reached for comment.
A divided council voted 4-3 to accept Boden’s resignation and approve a severance package worth approximately $56,000 but gave little explanation to why they voted to accept it, or the timing of the departure, because the measure was deemed a personnel issue. The issue was debated in a closed session June 23 directly before the council voted to accept the resignation.
But a review of Boden’s contract with Clinton shows that a voluntary resignation does not include a severance package. For a severance package to be granted, there had to be a suggestion made by a council member to terminate the employee.
“If he resigned he wouldn’t get his severance pay,” said Third Ward Councilman Darrell Smith, who voted to accept Boden’s resignation.
Talks of finding a new city administrator surfaced early in June because of two disputes between Holm and Boden, Kearney said. One of the disagreements he said was a letter, not approved by Holm, from Boden to U.S. Congressman Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, stating Clinton’s primary transportation funding need this year would be U.S. 30/67 at Liberty Square instead of 19th Avenue North.
Clinton has garnered money from federal stimulus dollars to reconstruct an existing portion of 19th Avenue North and to build the extension of 19th Avenue North to Mill Creek Parkway.
The other, according to Kearney, was discussions Boden had about the city investing $1 million to help fund the construction of the Lincolnway Railport. Once completed, the project would provide Mississippi River and highway access, the availability of three electric providers and three major natural gas pipelines, as well as access to the Union Pacific railroad mainline and the Chicago and Eastern line for freight trains.
“Rodger felt that Gary had somehow committed the city to use the million dollars in bonding capability for economic development to backstop the million dollars they felt they were short without council approval,” Kearney said.
Soesbe, along with Holm, At-Large Councilman Mark Vulich, and Fourth Ward Councilman Paul Gassman, will be on a committee to hire a new city administrator.
Soesbe said he already has an idea of what type of candidate he will be looking for.
“I will be looking for another Gary Boden,” he said.