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AGENDA REPORT
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| | | | | | | | DATE:
| September 15, 2020
| TO:
| Mayor and City Council
| FROM:
| Stefan T. Chatwin, City Manager 
| | SUBJECT: | Resolution 2020-188 of the City Council of The City of Fairfield Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Agreement for Severance Between the City of Fairfield and Deanna Cantrell |
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| | | | | | | | | RECOMMENDED ACTION | | Adopt resolution. |
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| | | | | | | | | STATEMENT OF ISSUE | | After the retirement of Randy Fenn, the City initiated a nationwide recruitment to find a new permanent Chief of Police. The recruitment process resulted in the City Manager making a tentative job offer to Deanna Cantrell as the new Chief of Police. As part of this offer, the City Manager is requesting authority to enter into an agreement for severance between the City and Deanna Cantrell. Although the appointment of the Police Chief is made by the City Manager pursuant to Section 2.10(e) of the Fairfield City Code, the City Council must authorize the payment of severance to a department head. |
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| | | | | | | | | DISCUSSION | The nationwide search was concluded in August 2020. Final candidates were vetted and interviewed by three panels. The three panels were made up of members of the community, other police chiefs from comparable jurisdictions, and City staff. On the community, panel there were representatives from the business and faith communities and the Superintendent of the Suisun Fairfield School District. The City staff panel was made up of the Chief of Fire, Assistant City Manager, Director of Finance, and representatives from all bargaining units. After consulting with the panels and conducting further interviews with top candidates, the City Manager selected Deanna Cantrell as the next Chief of Police for the City of Fairfield and gave her a tentative job offer.
Ms. Cantrell comes to Fairfield with 25 years of experience in law enforcement. She started her career in the City of Mesa, Arizona and in 2016 was appointed as the Chief of Police for the City of San Luis Obispo.
Because of the high profile nature of the position, it is common place for new Chiefs of Police to have severance agreements for a limited period of time. Moreover, former Chiefs Tibbet and Finn had severance agreements with the City. The proposed severance package has a three year term and provides for the payment of six months of salary as severance, if certain conditions are met. If those conditions are not met, severance will not be paid (see attached agreement for more details). For example, a for cause termination of the Chief of Police does not trigger the severance clause of this agreement.
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| | | | | | | | | FINANCIAL IMPACT | | Financial impact of this agreement would depend on the circumstances of the Chief's separation as outlined therein and within the three year term of the agreement. But in no case will the cost of this agreement exceed half the annual cost of the salary of the Chief of Police. |
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| | | | | | | | | Priority Project: | #1A.28 Organization/Staffing/Deployment
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| | | | | | | | | PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION | No public contact or advisory body was consulted on this matter.
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| | | | | | | | | ALTERNATIVE ACTION | | The Council may not approve this agreement and may direct the City Manager to negotiate a different agreement with the candidate for the Chief of Police position. |
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| | | | | | | | | STAFF CONTACT | Farbod Pirouzmand, Director of Human Resources
(707) 428-7397
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| | | | | | | | | COORDINATED WITH | City Attorney's Office, City Manager's Office
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| REVIEWERS: | | Reviewer | Action | Date | | Pirouzmand, Farbod | Approved | 9/8/2020 - 7:17 PM | | Pirouzmand, Farbod | Approved | 9/8/2020 - 7:17 PM | | Pirouzmand, Farbod | Approved | 9/8/2020 - 7:18 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 9/8/2020 - 7:35 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 9/8/2020 - 7:36 PM |
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