Look Who it Was Random video

Cincinnati City Council approves 8-month severance deal for city manager

36 views · Published 3 April 2018 · 3:11 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Cincinnati City Council voted 7-to-1 in favor of an eight-month severance package for City Manager Harry Black Thursday.

Council initially voted down a $400,000 deal for Black Wednesday. 

Now, Black has to agree to the terms of the package offered. The severance package is worth $174,000; that is the same amount he would receive if he were fired.

Should Cincinnati’s city manager decide to resign, he now has a new severance package.

On Thursday, city council approved the deal, which has an expiration date.

The city hall drama is now in a bit of a holding pattern.

Just to recap: Mayor John Cranley wanted City Manager Harry Black out. City Council would not go along with the mayor and on Wednesday Black said he wanted to stay on the job.

But should Black decide to resign by April 30th, he would get $174,000 on his way out the door.

Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black sat quietly as the roll was called for a vote on an eight-month severance plan. Council approved the plan, but Black has said he wanted to stay on the job.

"Being a city manager is an honor and a privilege. I would very much like to continue in this capacity as long as this body desires for me to do so,” said Black.

Mayor John Cranley says he has heard complaints from city workers about the manager and wants them to air their grievances. Councilmember Chris Seelbach says he's all for it, but he wants them to air their beefs in the proper forum: in city council chambers.

"We want to hear your voice we want you to have a safe and healthy work environment and if you don’t, we want to hear about it,” said Seelbach.

Councilmember Wendell Young also wants to hear any such complaints about the city manager or anyone else. But, he believes this is all part of the circus atmosphere created by the mayor.

"It’s just a continuation of his vendetta against the city manager. That’s what needs to stop,” said Young.

After weeks of wrangling over the future of the city manager, council members say the city's work is getting done, but the Cranley/Black ordeal has been a distraction.

"We just have so much work to do and I would love to wind down the soap opera and get back to business,” said Councilmember P.G. Sittenfeld.

So, what's next? Who knows. Now that there is money on the table, Black could opt to resign, but it could be likely that the city gets to hear from those city workers who are said to have complaints against Black.

And so it goes.

Jeff Pastor was the only member of council to vote no on the severance deal.

In a statement released after Thursday's special session, Pastor said the severance plan "does not dignify the hard work of the city manager and does not take into consideration his family's needs.”

Pastor says he would have preferred the 12-month plan that was voted down by the council.

More from this channel