Public Works Director Klever fired

The fallout from the Jan McClintock administration may have continued last week as Public Works Director Dale Klever is on his way out in Colusa.

Acting City Manager Randy Dunn on Friday said that Klever had not been fired, but Mayor Tom Reische confirmed Tuesday that Klever "will no longer be working for Colusa."

There were a number of sources last week that confirmed the action, including at least one that had direct contact with Klever, who had indicated he was fired without cause.

The decision to dismiss Klever actually falls on Dunn as the acting city manager. The council does not have the authority.

Asked if the council had given their top executive direction in last week's closed session, Reische said he could not comment.

Klever did not return several calls seeking comment.

Other council members contacted declined comment because it is a personnel matter.

Reische said the city will pay Klever six months of salary as part of the severance package, a total of slightly less than $40,000.

While that will initially come out of reserves, the mayor believes the city will make up that money and then some by not filling the position.

"If everyone steps up to the plate, I think that position will stay vacant," Reische said. "And I think we have the people who can do that."

In fact, Reische hinted that the Public Works staff was already carrying a significant amount of that load already.

"In my opinion, the city will recover that severance and book some on top of that," the mayor said.

Reische admits that he has not been very happy with Klever for some time.

However, he admitted that some of his concerns about how staff was being handled have been alleviated since McClintock's departure.

Reische did not offer any specifics.