SocraticGadfly, says:

I can't believe this city council hired one Ricky Childers from Longview as its new city manager. Here's some of my concern:

First, isn't it a step down to go from a city the size of Longview to one the size of Lancaster? Of course it is, and, Mayor Tillotson, Lancaster City Council and Childers, let's not otherwise spin it?

But, if it a step down, then why is Childers "stepping down"?

First of all, this HUGE and "Nixonian" OOOOPPPPS, long before the possibility of his stepping down!

Fingerprinting your own city staff in Longview??? Sources say in March of 2000, while serving as the city manager of Longview, Childers ordered a number of city employees and department heads to undergo fingerprinting by the Longview police department. Why? Childers reportedly received a letter critical of his administration. He called the police who found a fingerprint on the letter. Childers then ordered certain city employees be fingerprinted to see if they had written the letter. Reached by phone, Childers refused to comment.

http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?...

What the heck are you doing??

At about 55 years old, he sounds like he would want to remain a consultant; if he wanted to move to Dallas, I would think he could pick up consulting gigs without being a full-time CM.

Otherwise, if it walks, talks and quacks like a duck slumming downward, it probably is. That is proof No. 1.

Also, and back to the present day, according to this online newspaper/bulletin board, several people thought he was stiffing Longview police on pay scale/salary. The Longview City Council also allegedly hired him as a consultant, plus gave him six months’ severance, rather than go through the work of firing him.

http://www.bidkidz.com/202461.html?*s...

jefmelch, says:

Please note the Memorial Day holiday impacts the City Council meetings Lancaster Councilmembers are taking the evening of 28 May '07, off.