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Newton Falls officials consider replacing their city manager
By Ed Runyan
NEWTON FALLS
The three village council members who stated their desire to replace current city manager Jack Haney at the end of this year have spoken again when they voted Tuesday to give first reading to an ordinance that would hire former educator Harry Benetis to be city manager.
Benetis, of Newton Falls, who is former principal at Maplewood East Elementary school and former superintendent for the Weathersfield and Bloomfield-Mespo local school districts, would be paid $50,000 per year in his new job.
His two-year contract would begin Jan. 1, 2012, and he would receive four weeks’ vacation time. He would receive no health-care benefits.
Haney makes $92,000.
In April, councilman Jim Luonuansuu said he thought Haney’s salary of $92,000 per year was excessive for the size of the city he manages.
Councilwoman Mary Anne Johnson said last month she’s not satisfied with the work Haney has done, saying she’s “leaning toward replacing him.”
Haney, when reached Wednesday, said he’s “proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish during his tenure as city manager starting in 2007.
He said the amount of grant money he has secured for the village — around $350,000 — is “many times more” than the amount the village would save by hiring someone at a lower salary.
The village secured no grants in the years before he arrived, Haney said.
In Newton Falls, ordinances generally are approved after a second reading, said Kathy King, village clerk. The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 19 at the community center.
Luonuansuu, Johnson and Richard Monteville voted in favor of the resolution. Council members Richard Zamecnik and Nancy Hoffman voted against the ordinance.