The City Council of Blaine, Washington, voted last week to hire former Town of Mammoth Lakes Town Manager Dave Wilbrecht as their new City Manager.
An article in the News Tribune/ Bellingham Herald says that the Blaine City Council picked Wilbrecht to replace the 13-year, retiring City Manager. The article says Wilbrecht will start June 24th and that his salary will be $110,000. Leaders in that City seem fully aware of Wilbrecht’s participation in Mammoth’s major financial problems and his eventual resignation.
Although Wilbrecht’s departure from his position with the Town of Mammoth was cloaked in considerable secrecy, his separation agreement did go public. That document confirmed that Wilbrecht resigned and received nine months’ salary and accrued comprehensive leave money, roughly $150,000. The Town and the Manager both agreed not to make disparaging remarks about each other or to sue each other.
Wilbrecht left his job in Mammoth in mid-February in the aftermath of intense negotiations toward the MLLA lawsuit judgment settlement. The News Tribune article, reported by Kie Relyea, quotes Blaine Mayor Harry Robinson saying that Wilbrecht was “selected for his years of experience as a city administrator and for being at the helm of Mammoth Lakes as the town grappled with a $43 million judgment from a development lawsuit that forced it to file for bankruptcy in July 2012.”
The article goes on to say that Mammoth reached a settlement agreement for $29.5 million. Blaine Mayor Robinson said “Wilbrecht had to make some tough decisions and he was responsible for getting Mammoth Lakes out of its difficult financial situation.” The news article said Blaine city leaders want Wilbrecht to help them out of their financial troubles.
In Blaine, Washington, nearly 300 people lost their jobs when a 200-room hotel shut down in December of last year.
it reeks so bad i cant even spell anymore
all good.this guy reeks,the whole town council reeks,and its amking the town reek
@ not that easy. it is actually very easy to get rid of an elected official, come election day if a majority of the voting public does not like the job an elected official is doing, they vote him out of office. it’s that simple.
Salblaster,
Do you know when the elected officials of Mammoth’s terms are up?
Do you also know how much damage these elected officials can do while they are still calling the shots for the town (aka Mammoth Mountain corporation)?
Lehman’s term ends 06/14 (Lehman is a developer) Wood’s term ends 06/14 (Been in office forever) Raimondo’s term ends 06/16 (ran unopposed) Bacon’s term ends 06/16 (ran unopposed) Eastman’s term ends 06/14 (Benn in office forever) The question to ask is how simple can it be for an elected official… Read more »
Everyone who think recalls are easy need to look up the process. It’s a major time and headache for the person taking charge. When Jim Lovett Mono County Finance abuser finally got yanked out, The person leading it went through a major hassle of time and personal money to move… Read more »
If I were Dave Wilbrecht, I would have sued the town’s ass off.
Good luck and God speed to you, Dave. Blaine, Washington is no doubt greener pastures.
So how many of you make public comments at Town Council meetings or participate in any of the council’s committees, either as a member of a committee or a member of the public making comments to voice their opinion on matters? Ultimately the community itself is responsible for what their… Read more »
D. T. –
Are you aware of just how difficult it is to recall an elected official?
Believe me, they do.
Is part of “rolling up the sleeves” demanding to know what goes on behind closed doors at those numerous non-public meetings ?
Who said anything about recall? I am talking about two things; number one paying attention to who you elect the first time around and, number two, getting involved with public policy hand on and in person, either by regular attendance and, importantly, voicing your opinion at council meetings during public… Read more »
D.T. –
“… pay attention to who you elect…”
Bacon and Raimondo got their jobs without having to kiss one single baby for the vote.
And now they have all the power including firing Dave Wilbrecht and becoming enamored with his replacement.
You have made this point repeatedly. How about we move on.
BK
With all due respect, Benett, I think whatever might stir John Q. Citizen to get off their duffs, become aware of the corrupting nature of local/state and federal government at the hands of elected officials, and take action … any action is a point well worth repeating. Clearly you are… Read more »
I favor effective communication. Tedious repetition does not turn me on.
Benett
I do , I do
I make plenty of comments. Sometimes they are considered sometimes they are not.
I liked Dave but after he left us I don’t . I feel like others he took us for a lot of money . Why
we will never know.
MK –
You haven’t yet figured out that Dave was forced to leave?
Why do you think everything (reasons for his firing) was kept under wraps with a legal agreement not to disclose one damn word about it?
Dear Fish, There are only assumptions without the real facts.
Benett
Both the Town and Wilbrecht have promised not to talk. My experience tells me when this sort of secrecy occurs – something is most definitely rotten in Denmark. Big time. Facts: Dave & MMM were recently lauded for assisting in bailing out the town; Dave is gone – The Town… Read more »
Dave Wilbrecht left Mono County with a surplus, generally high morale and integrity of the employees in each department, and in general, was the most likely the primary reason the Town of Mammoth Lakes made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. In his short tenure, he and Assistant Town Manager… Read more »
More fact than fiction! He had a contract that four of the five council members had approved. They tried to get rid of him on the cheap, but he beat them at their own game, simple as that.
The secrecy of the deal is a violation of the Brown Act and should have been challenged. In all likelihood a court would have ruled the secrecy illegal. Again, it is the voters fault for not challenging their city counci. They can’t get away with these things if citizens are… Read more »
The Brown Act does allow for secret meetings regarding personnel matters and lawsuits.
BK
The Brown Act does not permit a legislative body to spend the public money in secret however. That is why this would be a Brown Act violation.
I don’t think so.
BK
I’m doing my part and not spending a cent within TOML. I also bailed out on the MVP.
I’m so over MMSA & TOML BS.
Good luck!
I’m doing my part and picking up Mark’s slack. (spending extra in TOML and adjacent county)
MVP 2013/14 !
June Mountain !!
Well get your credit card out. The slack you’ll be picking up is about $20k a year.
Good luck with that 😉
Wilbrect resigns from mammoth gets 150k to keep his mouth shut. Seeks new job and only appears to be worth 110K. WOW WoW and another WOW.
We paid 150k to get rid of him.
Don’t ya feel that the people of Mammoth got a major screwing from this Man?
The only major screwing the people of Mammoth got was from their inept town council (stooges for Rusty Gregory). Wilbrecht left the county high and dry. And now his fair replacement (whose suggestions for the town is to “build more car washes, and car dealerships … stuff like that.” is… Read more »
I had much respect for Dave. I felt he understood and was willing to deal with the corruption. Unfortunately he resigned and in my opinion screwed the pooch with a 150K.. You can tell me all day long about his honesty and integrity all you want. The fact his he… Read more »
“Those with the money are vacationing elsewhere leaving a shrinking middleclass from L.A. as the only visitors”
yes you are correct. normally my family spends a week (summer & winter ) in Mammoth Flakes. This year we just booked our summer trip to Park City/Deer Valley…
See Yaa later mammoth
There will always be the middle-to-lower middle class southern California ski crowd who will always drive all the way to Mammoth to recreate (ski), as their parents have been doing for years. Rusty Gregory, who must show profits quarter-to-quarter to the Mammoth Mountain stockholders, is fooling those stockholders and himself,… Read more »
Good riddance!