Kansas City, Missouri, City Manager Wayne Cauthen has been suspended indefinitely by the City Council after a 6-6 vote on Thursday afternoon.
Mayor Mark Funkhouser told the city council in a letter on Thursday that he is suspending City Manger Wayne Cauthen, effective immediately. A city council member said that in the letter, Mayor Funkhouser said he wanted to "take the city in a different direction."
The council voted to appoint Budget Officer Troy Schulte to acting city manager.
The council voted to suspend, and not fire Cauthen. The move to suspend only required six votes, while a vote to remove Cauthen would require nine votes.
The move caught many on the council off-guard. Council member John Sharp says that he was not pleased by what he is calling an ambush.
"I would think something of this magnitude should be something that the public is allowed to weigh in on," Sharp told the mayor and fellow council members.
Cauthen's attorney, Charlie Harris, says that his client had no notice that he and his staff would be sent home.
"I can certainly tell you at this point we are looking at all options, including legal," said Harris.
The city charter allows for the mayor to suspend the City Manager and the city council must vote on termination. Funkhouser says that he is confident that he followed the proper procedures.
The move also angered several African American members of the council. Fifth District council member Terry Riley was outraged that they were not notified of the decision to oust Cauthen.
"It just so happens that there are three African American members on this council that you didn't even bother to talk to," an angry Riley told Funkhouser. "Mr. Mayor, let me get this straight. This is not about race. This is about transparency."
Funkhouser denied that he left the African American members of the council out of his decision.
Council member Melba Curls says that Cauthen currently earns about $227,000 a year, and the city is contractually obligated to pay him for 15 months.
Relations between Funkhouser and Cauthen have been strained for years. In 2007, the mayor said he wouldn't support a city ordinance to extend Cauthen's contract.
A year later, a judge determined that nine council members could go around Funkhouser and offer Cauthen the extension themselves.
Mayor Mark Funkhouser told the city council in a letter on Thursday that he is suspending City Manger Wayne Cauthen, effective immediately. A city council member said that in the letter, Mayor Funkhouser said he wanted to "take the city in a different direction."
The council voted to appoint Budget Officer Troy Schulte to acting city manager.
The council voted to suspend, and not fire Cauthen. The move to suspend only required six votes, while a vote to remove Cauthen would require nine votes.
The move caught many on the council off-guard. Council member John Sharp says that he was not pleased by what he is calling an ambush.
"I would think something of this magnitude should be something that the public is allowed to weigh in on," Sharp told the mayor and fellow council members.
Cauthen's attorney, Charlie Harris, says that his client had no notice that he and his staff would be sent home.
"I can certainly tell you at this point we are looking at all options, including legal," said Harris.
The city charter allows for the mayor to suspend the City Manager and the city council must vote on termination. Funkhouser says that he is confident that he followed the proper procedures.
The move also angered several African American members of the council. Fifth District council member Terry Riley was outraged that they were not notified of the decision to oust Cauthen.
"It just so happens that there are three African American members on this council that you didn't even bother to talk to," an angry Riley told Funkhouser. "Mr. Mayor, let me get this straight. This is not about race. This is about transparency."
Funkhouser denied that he left the African American members of the council out of his decision.
Council member Melba Curls says that Cauthen currently earns about $227,000 a year, and the city is contractually obligated to pay him for 15 months.
Relations between Funkhouser and Cauthen have been strained for years. In 2007, the mayor said he wouldn't support a city ordinance to extend Cauthen's contract.
A year later, a judge determined that nine council members could go around Funkhouser and offer Cauthen the extension themselves.
