Changes in Fort Meade continue with firing of assistant city manager

Turnover continues at the top level of city staff in Fort Meade with the recent firing of the assistant city manager.

Maria Sutherland, hired in July 2021 to the newly created position, is no longer with the city. Interim City Manager Dustin Burke confirmed that he terminated Sutherland on April 10.

Burke said that he opted to fire Sutherland “due to mismanagement of several areas.” Burke, who was appointed to his position in February, declined to be more specific, citing the possibility of a lawsuit and saying that he would not typically discuss personnel matters.

The firing occurred several weeks after Burke said that he learned of major budgeting problems. He said that Fort Meade’s staff had not properly documented the allotment of funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package approved by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in 2021.

As a result, the Fort Meade City Commission voted in March to transfer about $319,000 from its general fund reserves to another budget fund, allowing the city to pay a contractor the money it owed for a stormwater project.

At the time, Burke said that a former comptroller had not consistently assigned budgeted line items, resulting in double booking for funds. Asked if that financial problem had been a factor in Sutherland’s firing, Burke said, “I think that certainly weighs into our decision-making.”

Sutherland said that she could not comment on the advice of her lawyer. A former city manager in Avon Park, Sutherland received a salary of about $86,000.

James Watts, the longest-serving current member of the City Commission, said he learned about Sutherland’s firing but had not talked to Burke in detail about the action.

“I was sorry to see her go,” Watts said. “We do not need to lose the experience and knowledge right now. You’ve got a lot of people in place who are not very knowledgeable about municipal government and the books and everything. They need someone who knows what's going on.”

Mayor Petrina McCutchen did not respond to a voicemail left Monday.

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Sutherland was the most prominent remaining city staff member with ties for former City Manager Jan Bagnall, who resigned in August after 2½ sometimes tumultuous years in the position. During Bagnall’s tenure, strong divisions emerged among residents, with some supporting him and others strongly criticizing him on social media and sometimes at City Commission meetings.

The quest to find a permanent successor to Bagnall has been chaotic. Sutherland served as interim city manager after Bagnall’s departure, but the city charter allowed her to remain in that position for only five months.

The candidate application and interview process overlapped with an election that yielded two new city commissioners. The City Commission voted in December to offer the position to a candidate from Minnesota, but the panel rescinded that offer in January, as new members Samuel Berrien and Jaret Williams joined the majority in a 3-2 vote.

Commissioners voted 3-2 in February to appoint Burke as interim city manager. Speculation had arisen that the new commissioners would appoint someone who might discharge staff members viewed as loyal to Bagnall, but Burke said after his appointment that he had no agenda to overhaul the staff.

He said Tuesday that Sutherland’s firing was not part of a strategy and that he has no plans to dismiss other staffers.

“My intent was not to come in and clean house,” he said. “I mean, that was not why I was brought in. However, that intent shouldn’t handcuff me to making the right decisions after I'm here.”

Burke said that he does not expect to hire another assistant city manager. Sutherland’s duties, which included overseeing city grants, will be absorbed by more than one current employee, he said.

In another personnel change, Burke hired Greg King in late March as a clerical administrative assistant. King was among those the City Commission considered as an interim city manager before selecting Burke.

At a meeting in January, Berrien suggested appointing King, who said he has held various government positions in South Florida. But commissioners backed off after learning that King and Williams are cousins, a relationship that would violate a state anti-nepotism law if Williams supervised King.

Burke said a misperception has arisen among some in Fort Meade that King was hired as an assistant in the human resources department. King’s role is not restricted to any department, and he reports to the city manager, Burke said.

King’s duties are still being determined, Burke said, but include coordinating the city manager’s calendar and helping with communications. King, who is paid $22 an hour, has arranged to have City Commission meetings broadcast live and archived on a YouTube channel, and he has sent out news releases for the city.

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Changes in Fort Meade continue with firing of assistant city manager