Carson City manager under fire

The job of Carson City's top manager may be in jeopardy.

Linda Ritter, the city's manager since 2003, has been in a row with some members of the Board of Supervisors over how she has been handling the city's budget woes. Rumors have been rampant in city offices that she has been asked to resign, but the mayor and supervisors have refused to confirm that.

"We're talking about my future," is all Ritter would say about the matter.

A couple of the supervisors said a meeting about Ritter has been scheduled for this morning with the district attorney's office, the supervisors' legal counsel. District Attorney Neil Rombardo said the meeting was related to "potential litigation."

One supervisor referred to the situation as "disheartening" while expressing support for Ritter.

"We have issues in terms of funding," said Supervisor Robin Williamson. "We need to work together and not point fingers at each other. ... Changing personnel isn't going to take us anywhere down the road."

Mayor Marv Teixeira's warm, friendly demeanor toward Ritter - he often referred to the city manager as "Queenie" - has noticeably cooled in recent weeks. His tone toward her in meetings sometimes has been terse.

"I have no comment at this time," he said loudly about the matter when contacted Monday.

Ritter is in charge of the city's $117.6 million budget, which will require a decrease in spending by about $600,000 during the fiscal year that began July 1. Budget cuts have been made already, though they've stopped short of layoffs.

Supervisor Pete Livermore wouldn't talk about Ritter but said he's "expressed concern about the budget situation."

He mentioned the payroll records computer system that isn't performing as well as expected. Employees in Human Resources and the city's budget committee recommended that purchase to the supervisors, who ultimately OK'd it. Ritter oversees the budget committee.

The system is being used to process payroll but failed to deliver on promises to curb costs by allowing employees to do many things for themselves. It was supposed to streamline processes and eliminate paperwork for a variety of human resources functions, but it required fixes. It cost the city nearly $400,000 in total expenses, such as employee training and overtime.

Ritter asked the supervisors last week to consider various options to fix the problem, including scrapping the system.

Ritter's contract with the supervisors stipulates that if they fire her she will receive six months' pay - about $60,000 - and health coverage. She'd also be able to cash out any accrued annual leave hours.

Her contract runs through April 30, 2009.

"Nothing in this agreement shall, prevent, limit or otherwise interfere with the right of the Board of Supervisors to terminate the services of the employee at any time for any reason or for no reason at all," the contract says.

Ritter is a native Nevadan who graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor's degree in economics. She was the Elko city manager before assuming the same job for Carson City in June 2003.

Supervisors have given Ritter positive feedback about her job performance. She received a $5,000 raise in 2005, bringing her salary to $120,000 annually. In 2006, she received another positive performance review, but told supervisors she did not want a raise, citing the city's budget problems.

No public notice was given about today's closed meeting. Rombardo said this is permissible under state code 241.015, which says this meeting is allowed "to receive information from the attorney employed or retained by the public body regarding potential or existing litigation ..."

If the meeting were to discuss an appointed or elected public officer's competence, character or misconduct, the meeting would have required public notice, Rombardo said, as is described in state code 241.031.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.