The former city manager of Solvang received a $250,000 final payout.
Xenia Bradford resigned in late September and the item dubbed “final payout” appeared among the October expenses approved by the City Council at last week’s meeting.
The succinct announcement about her departure claimed that “both parties came to an amicable agreement to pursue different paths.”
The terms of her employment contract called for the city to pay Bradford six months salary if the council terminated her employment without cause.
In addition to the six-month salary severance, the agreement required the city to provide premium payments for six months of health benefits including medical, dental and vision for the manager and her dependents.
The separation agreement says, “the City Council has offered Bradford additional benefits as set forth below in exchange for Bradford’s agreement to waive any and all claims she may have against the city.”
The pact said the city agreed to pay Bradford a lump sum of $250,000, “which is inclusive of any amounts owed to her under the Employment Agreement for the pay period that includes Bradford’s final date of employment, including but not limited to accumulated leave time.
“Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bradford shall be entitled to receipt of her regular salary outstanding for the pay period that includes Bradford’s final date of employment.”
The separation agreement, obtained by Noozhawk, is dated Sept. 29 and Bradord’s final day on the job was Sept. 30, according to the document.
Both sides also agreed not to disparage each other and said any statement would be limited of the 11-world sentence about reaching an amicable agreement to pursue different paths.
Bradford was named interim city manager in September 2019 after the resignation of David Gassaway just five months into the job. He received a six-month payout of $87,500.
She was given the permanent job months later with a five-year contract set to expire Feb. 24, 2025.
Retired city manager Brad Vidro has been hired to fill the job temporarily.
The City Council last week also voted to hire Ralph Andersen & Associates to spearhead the search for a new city manager.
The firm conducted the search that led to the hiring of Scott Wolfe in Buellton in 2019.
For its services during the search, expected to last four months, the city will pay the firm $27,500.
“This is the most important decision that council can make,” said Councilmember Robert Clarke, noting Solvang has had five city managers in four years including interim leaders.
“We really need to do our homework — this council and the future council and really vet these people,” Clarke added.
During the prior search, one candidate worked in a city very different from Solvang lacking any tourism and having a lot of government assistance programs, Clarke said.
“I just can’t stress enough how important it is to bring in the right person that’s going to feel comfortable with us as well as us with that person,” he said. “There’s just so much at stake.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.