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Commentary: Payout to public affairs manager emblematic of bad business

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On Sept. 6, Daily Pilot staff writer Bradley Zint reported on the payout to Costa Mesa’s former public affairs manager, Dan Joyce (“Ex-city official to get $170,225”).

So let’s get this straight. According to Mayor Jim Righeimer, Costa Mesa is supposed to be run like a business. If so, then how it is that Joyce organized the 60th anniversary event, which cost the city more than $200,000 in cost overruns, and his “punishment” was receiving over $250,000 of unearned compensation from taxpayers (nearly 10 months paid administrative leave at $136,000 per year, plus a $170,225 payout)?

That’s not running the city like a business, at least not a successful business.

It is hard to imagine how Joyce’s employment claims could justify a $170,225 payout. For starters, what were his damages if he was paid in full while on administrative leave? Also, according to City Hall, the 60th anniversary event was a financial debacle, largely because of the four euphemistically labeled “shortcomings” by Joyce and his team, which are referenced in Zint’s article.

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These “shortcomings” prompted a pending investigation by the Orange County district attorney’s office. Countless hours of city employee and attorney time have been spent investigating the finances of the 60th anniversary event at further cost to the taxpayers.

Under these circumstances, Joyce’s termination following 10 months of investigation appears to have been legally defensible. If the payout to Joyce was not tied to the legal merit of his case against the city, then what other leverage did Joyce have to motivate the city to pay him $170,225?

Zint notes that Joyce was hired in early 2011, shortly after Righeimer and Councilman Steve Mensinger joined the City Council. Since then, Costa Mesa has paid millions of dollars in legal fees, including well over $1 million unsuccessfully attempting to defend the potentially illegal 2011 layoffs.

Why not defend the city against Joyce’s seemingly meritless employment claims? At a minimum, the payout to Joyce is bad business. If the payout was based upon something other than the merits of Joyce’s case, then something more troubling may be afoot.

Attorney JOHN STEPHENS is a member of the city’s Pension Oversight Committee and a former candidate for City Council.

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