PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — The City of Punta Gorda will pay former City Manager Greg Murray more than $75,000 over the next 20 weeks, despite some push back from the current city council.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on former Punta Gorda City Manager Greg Murray's contract:
Murray wrote his resignation letter on Nov. 11, just days after a controversial 20-week “resignation or termination” severance package was added to his contract and approved by three outgoing city council members.
The current city council discussed reconsidering the contract, but Vice Mayor Greg Julian told FOX 4 that the council has now been advised there is nothing they can do.
“The two attorneys' opinions that I’ve heard basically said that what they did was legal,” said Julian. “They only violated the rules of council, and so I’m pretty sure there is nothing more we can do.”
During the Dec. 4 city council meeting, an agenda item to discuss the search for a new city manager was postponed due to time constraints. Julian said the council would have informed residents about Murray’s contract and the city’s position during that discussion.
“The intent was to have a discussion in front of the residents so that they understand what took place and what we could or couldn’t do about it, and I think that still needs to happen,” said Julian.
Assistant City Manger Melissa Reichert is currently the Acting City Manager while a new city manager is found.
In August, Murray was removed from a downtown bar by the police, after an employee said he wouldn't leave and was acting disorderly. Murray told Fox 4 that was the result of a medical episode.
