Village manger resigns (HN) 7-23-04Dennis Redmond
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BKaplan eye. I resign, I resign," Mr. some definite health process of reducing North Palm Beach Public
.y Michelle Ka � Y
Redmond said at the issues, I don't consider it expenditures in public Safety Department and
staff writer
meeting. to be a resignation at this safety, which are up 300 Chief Duke Johnson.
"I spent 32 ears in this point. At this point we're percent in four years, I cre- "A public safety depart -
Village manager Dennis p Y holding pattern. I'm � aced an adversary with a merit out of control, alle-
Redmond announced his work and I spent the worst Ina g p Y
resignation at a Village
three months of my entire truly concerned about his newspaper columnist who gations of sexual harass -
life here. I didn't know the health." never once asked me meet, a hostile work
Council meeting Monday score when I came here," In addition to his health, about my motivation nor environment, a dangerous
night. he said. "I didn't know Mr. Redmond mentioned dishe seek the other side. turnover rate," he said.
d
Citing health reasons as how to play the game. a litany of issues increas- The power of print was Mr. Redmond went on
well as frustration over Despite Redmond's ing his frustation, from enough to protect what to say there are employees
council management, Mr. comments, Mayor Don run-ins with journalists to she considered her, turf; if who- feared for their jobs
Redmond stepped down. Noel said he is unsure charges of sexual harass- I had only appeased her as well as their lives.
pp "Friday I had an episode whether t he resignation nation is ment and hostile work my livelihood would not Also at issue are .the
Y
when m blood pressure for real. environments in the Pub- be in jeopardy," he said. town finances that , are
went through the roof and "He's frustrated," said lic Safety Department. A maJor issue that Mr.
I went blind in my right Mayor Noel, "He's got "As soon as I began the Redmond spoke of was the
REDMOND
Continued from page Al
$700,000 short.
"In order to provide the
services for the village,
we have to decide where
we're cutting or how to
raise the revenue," Mayor
Noel said.
"The budget process
has already been handled
by ' our staff. We always
have a balanced budget.
It's not curre1 nt this year.
When we're finished,
we're going to have a bal-
anced budget," he said.
Village resident and
regular Village meeting
attendee Bob Bradner
was at the meeting where
he heard Mr. Redmond
resign. He suggests that
the . Village council
applied political pres-
sure.
"You don't manage
behind the manager's
back," Mr. Bradner said.
Ed Moore, another Vil-
lage resident, who ran for
Village Council back in
March, concurs.
"I think the council let
a good man get away
from them. You can't
operate and not give peo-
ple the ability to do the
job," he said. "I think
some of the issues
including the police
department and budget-
ing issues will be
exposed," Mr. Moore
said.
During the gap
between the former
manager and the arrival
of Mr. Redmond, Doug
Smith took on the role as
Village Manager. He will
reprise that role on an
interim basis, Mayor
Noel said.
Mr. Redmond came to
North Palm Beach by way
of Kentucky where he
began his career as a 22-
year old city manager of
Maysville, Kentucky pop-
ulation 9,000. During his
tenure there he had three
times as -many people
working in it than living
in it. Luring corporations
such Mitsubishi, Inland
Paperboard and Packag-
ing, and Jockey Interna-
tional., Inc., to set up
shop.
Redmond is a graduate
of Kentucky's Morehead
State University, where
he majored in history
and political science.