Ann Arbor City Council awards Tom Crawford $10K bonus for service as interim administrator
In recognition of his service as interim city administrator, the Ann Arbor City Council awarded Tom Crawford a $10,000 bonus at Monday night's meeting.
Council Member Marcia Higgins, D-4th Ward, announced the news halfway through the meeting, thanking Crawford for his "exemplary service" during a transitional period for the city. The resolution acknowledging the role Crawford played passed unanimously.
Tom Crawford
Crawford now goes back to his former CFO position while Steve Powers, who most recently served as Marquette County administrator, becomes city administrator.
A bashful Crawford deflected praises from council Monday night, instead giving credit to the city's staff for the smooth transition between Fraser's departure and Powers' arrival.
Crawford makes $125,500 a year as CFO. Powers, who attended his first council meeting as administrator Monday night, will earn a base salary of $145,000.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
Bill
Thu, Sep 22, 2011 : 7:38 p.m.
It is nice to see Ann Arbor has plenty of "bonus" money but not enough to fund essential services. Don't forget to vote for change in the upcoming election.
Left is Right
Thu, Sep 22, 2011 : 2:45 a.m.
I think Crawford has earned this. And true enough, there are undoubtedly others on the City payroll that are doing extra work that deserve an offset as well. Let's see: $10,000 / 100,000 residents = a one time payment of ten cents per person. My bill? 50 cents. As far as outrage in base salary, in this era $125k is not that much.
a2watch
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 2:13 a.m.
I have to agree with Cash on all statements. To all the union and non-union employees working for the City of Ann Arbor you now know where some of the concession money the City Administration and the City Council needed to help offset the rising costs of medical coverage and the loss of state funding went.
aanonliberal
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 3:14 p.m.
SERIOUSLY???????????? $10,000 for 5 months (while getting his base $125,000) and his accomplishments were? 1. Not negotiating with the unions 2. Laying off cops 3. Laying off Fire Fighters 4. Threatening more layoffs to safety personnel 5. Transferring police dispatching to the county at $750,000 bill a year (laying off 18 more city employees) 6. attempting to lose another $150,000+ in towing contract services to the county How do I get the job of dismantling city services and get a $10,000 BONUS?????? OUTRAGEOUS!!!! We in Ann Arbor get exactly what we tolerate, and I am done paying the big bosses more and more money while they pile work (2 and 3 peoples work) onto less and less front line workers! Time to move from this craziness.
Arlene
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:16 p.m.
When are the citizens of Ann Arbor going to wake up and vote these free spending "representives" out of office? They only represent themselves and their friends. Bonuses in a time of cutbacks and layoffs - if it wasn't so sad it would be a joke! The one party system doesn't work!
SonnyDog09
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.
It's easy to be generous like this with other people's money.
BornNRaised
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:49 p.m.
Hey Steve Powers... good luck rebuilding relationships with the city's working force when the city council makes moves like this while bashing workers for not taking concessions. Wonder where my bonus is for doing my job in the city? Granted myself and my coworkers have the easy job of being tasked only with saving the lives of the residents. But we're considered the evil monsters in the city by city council.
racerx
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:48 p.m.
If Crawford was doing such a great job in both positions for $125K a year, plus that extra $2K a month as City Administrator, then why not just add that $24K to his base salary and not hire a Administrator and save that extra $145K that Powers will be getting? The city has long implemented dual job duties with their employees for years for lower classification employees. Remember the proposal to have police officers patrol the parks while getting rid of Park Rangers? If it's good for the goose.....
hut hut
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.
Just another overpaid administrator who owes his bonus to a laid off police officer.
yourdad
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:37 p.m.
Either none of them live in the city or they don't bother voting to change things... voter turnout is worse than that group of elected officials. I think the weather people get things right at a higher rate.
yourdad
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:49 p.m.
If any of you are actual city residents that don't vote at every opportunity, please shut your traps! The people who defend the community and provide emergency services to all realms of the population need real support, not blog chatter!
Cash
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:06 p.m.
I am left wondering how many hard working City of Ann Arbor employees at a lower pay grade have been left to do at least 2 people's jobs since the cuts....and CONTINUE to do so. I'm betting there are a LOT of them! Are they paid bonuses? If I read correctly in another article, the City is looking to cut MORE from them. How can any valuable lower pay scale employee have any respect for the folks running this show?
Cash
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 3:39 p.m.
It would be impossible. This action is a slap in the face to every other Ann Arbor employee.
Nephilim
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:10 p.m.
Trust me, they don't!
clownfish
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:56 p.m.
Is he sharing the money with the staff he credited in public?
A2Woman
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 4:18 p.m.
Of course not...Well, maybe he'll buy them lunch. Oops, I forgot there's no such thing as a free lunch! This never should have happened.
drewk
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:42 p.m.
Yep, just one more reason to dump our whole council. What a joke Ann Arbor has become.
hut hut
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.
We giver bonuses to people for doing their job? Thanks for helping out, Tom, but if the staff made it easy, maybe you should send some of that bonus to them. Fraser should have paid Crawford's bonus.
Chip Reed
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 11:32 a.m.
This is quite a feel-good story. What's there not to like? Almost a win-win situation...
Alan Goldsmith
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 10:12 a.m.
Thanks EVERYONE on Council who voted for this. I guess Marcia Higgins is fine giving away my tax dollars to someone making $125K+ a year. Business as usual for my 4th Ward rep.
Cash
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 10:01 a.m.
Easy come, Easy go, As long as it's the taxpayers dough.