Finn Resigns: Peekskill Seeks New City Manager
There is a job opening in Peekskill.
City Manager Rick Finn has submitted his resignation. The city common council will now have to do a search for another full-time administrator.
“After much deliberation, Mr. Finn has offered, and the common council has accepted, his resignation, effective December 31, 2011,” Mayor Mary Foster said in a statement released in conjunction with the other council members. “The common council thanks Mr. Finn for his two plus years of dedicated service to our city and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Finn resigned for family and personal reasons, according to Foster.
During the work session held on Monday night, the Common Council agreed to hire an employment firm to find candidates for the job.
The role of a city manager is to oversee the daily operation of the city. It is a full time appointed position as opposed to the mayor and common council positions which are elected and part-time positions.
Finn earned about $160,000 plus benefits.
Finn was hired in August 2009 out of a pool of almost 50 candidates. Prior to his post in Peekskill, Finn had held various government administrative positions since the 1970s including the role of city manager in Sandusky, Ohio and Takoma Park, Md. and city administrator for Sun Prairie, Wis. He resigned from each of the posts before coming to Peekskill.
In May, Finn was accused of being racist because of comments that he made during an employee training workshop.
The claim came from Peekskill Committee for Justice leader and former city resident Darrell Davis who spoke about the incident on the High Noon w/Phil Reisman & Mike Richter radio show on 1460 AM WVOX. Davis said that several people who attended the class told him about the comments. Davis called for Finn’s resignation at that time.
Finn denied any wrong doing.
During a press conference held in May, Finn stated that his comments were taken out of context from the training session in question. He explained that the instructor was teaching attendees methods to modify communication styles to more effectively communicate in a public setting and had identified audiences as having one of four communication styles–driver, analytical, amiable or creative.
The common council is expected to name an interim city manager, who will serve until the post is filled.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.