Randy Wheeler Resigns

At about 11:30 p.m., the Board of Supervisors accepted the resignation of County Administrator Randy Wheeler after a nearly nine-hour meeting that contained votes on several hot-button issues.

Supervisors met briefly in closed session and when they came out, Wheeler gave a brief speech. He touched on the successes of the county under his leadership, specifically mentioning the Spotsylvania Medical Center, which opens in 2010, the three new fire stations that recently opened, the economic development growth here, the library expansions, Patriot Park, and the citizen satisfaction surveys that show continuous increases in the grades residents gave for quality of life.

"And most of all I am very proud of the over 800 men and women that I have had an opportunity to work with as a fellow employee of Spotsylvania County," Wheeler said. "I came home to Spotsylvania County five years go because I love this community and I thought I could make a difference, and I think I have. But now after five years I think the time has come for me to pursue other opportunities."

Wheeler did not say if he has another job opportunity available to him. Supervisors did not name an acting county administrator or mention anything about when they would begin a search for a new one.

Supervisors agreed to pay Wheeler a lump sum of $114,885, which is in line with his contract. The contract states that if he is terminated or resigns following a "suggestion" by a majority of the Board of Supervisors, he will get a lump-sum cash payment equal to six months of his salary and benefits.

Supervisor Gary Jackson voted against the motion to accept Wheeler’s resignation. He did not say why, but after the meeting he walked over to Wheeler, shook his hand, and said "I’m sorry, man."

Post tags: randy wheeler

Permalink: http://news.fredericksburg.com/spotsygovt/2008/11/13/randy-wheeler-resigns/

groucho45

Maybe ,just maybe Spotsylvania is trying to get RIDD of anyone who can RAT them OUT about all of those ILLEGAL meetings with Cafaro and his thugs.The rats are begining to scatter!!! The county attorney is next. But that won’t solve their problems.
thelama

According to county sources and former Supervisors, Jackson pushed for the huge increase in Wheeler’s salary to the current $170K. So, I guess he is sorry to see him go. Sorry, man. Or Sorry man. Take your pick.
southwest

How can Supervisor Jackson be sorry to see Mr. Wheeler go when Mr. Wheeler has withheld information from the Board of Supervisors (such as the expiration of their contract for financial servcices). How can the Board of Supervisors work with a County Administrator that “withholds” information from them. Supervisor Jackson you supported Mr. Wheeler’s last 23% pay increase, was it so he could “withhold” information from you, information that you needed to get the people’s business done??? If so, your district needs a new supervisor. It is time for Mr. Wheeler to go and “NOT BE SORRY” about it….
lgross

Having seen all of the CAs within the last couple
of decades, IMHO, Wheeler was one of the best
but the job has so many challenges and so many
ways for things beyond the full control of the CA
to blow up on him including conflicting views and
personalities of the BOS.

Mr. Wheeler appeared to me to be a genuinely a
decent person in a job that probably requires a
tougher personality if the goal is longevity.

A bunch of things seemed to have come unglued
in the last year and I’m not convinced that all of
them are the direct fault of the CA but at the end
of the day – he bears responsibility for them
because otherwise the BOS gets into the role of
micro-managing issues they lack confidence in
the CA to do.

I don’t subscribe to the general nastiness with
respect to the BOS though, better than many.
1958

IN my options at this time I feel Dr Hill And DR Meyer should do the same along with chartwells food servise
vt2001

How is paying $115k to Wheeler solving the County’s budget crisis, although believe me I think the County got a real deal getting rid of him. So he said he wasn’t job hunting just a few weeks ago, but he got the clause removed from his contract and then resigns all the way to the bank??

How about the 18 people (yes FLS check your facts 18 were effected – whether laid off or transfered or resigned after being told they were getting laid off – not to mention the 4 who left on their own in that time – smart people) who got laid off in June & October, because Wheeler was pushing for lay offs?? They didn’t get 6 months pay, they didn’t get any severence pay at all. Maybe Wheeler should share his parting gift with them, or the County use that money to hire them back.
staffordcat

tell me that there are major problems in county that arose before wheeler. Forget Wheeler – did not the 2 previous administrators leave under unhappy circumstance? I think same is said about the previous county attorney. With this history, I wonder more about the Board members than Mr. Wheeler, who was polite and down to earth the one time I met him.
Fredtastic

Randy saw the writing on the wall and pushed for the change in his contract to look for a job. Something all of us are able to do and he was not. Big deal – he should be able to do that. And the payoff was in his contract – like he’s going to turn down that clause in his contract (which is probably standard for county administrators anyways). Just like the salary increase – they offered it and he took it.

Randy is taking the heat for alot of stuff that wasn’t in his control. Some of it was, but some of it wasn’t. I wish he and his family luck. Finding a county administrator position in this economy is going to take a while.
vt2001

Fredtastic, I’m sure a lot of things that went wrong were a combination of bad decisions over the years by many people, but are you really feeling sorry for him with a $115,000 severance?? If you think it’s going to be hard for him to find another job what about the other County employees laid off, who didn’t get a severence at all…I don’t know about you, but that pay out is more money then I would see in several years, and I’m sure that’s true for most of the families living in Spotsylvania; doesn’t seem like he will necessarily have to worry about finding a job any time soon while the rest of us scrape by in this economy

I suppose you feel that the million dollar pay outs to the CEO’s of large corporations and banks that are failing is fair because it was in their contract also?
MasterT

Again blaming the wrong people. I can’t blame Wheeler for taking a good contract like that. The people you should be blaming is the BOS that gave him such a good contract. Again and again the BOS allow for these things to happen, but you people keep the same members in power. Wake up people and vote some real Board members in that have some common sense.
MrWonderful

The Board of Idiots strikes again.
notmemaw

Well it seems Spotsy County BOS just can’t seem to keep anyone. They have someone who is well trained, has knowledge, and then it is time for them to leave. I think they are afraid of those who know too much. It is sad to see someone as well informed as Mr. Wheeler leave his position. I have said it once, and will repeat myself, the tax rate is too low. It is not Wheeler’s fault the problems the County is facing, The fault is with his bosses, the BOS. Perhaps the BOS should not have refused what he recomended. Next I guess they will blame Wheeler for inflation. What a shame there are such narrow minded people in charge of our County. Elected officials, go figure. They are all the same.
Good luck Mr. Wheeler with your future plans.
Fredtastic

I guess I’m just impressed that you yourself would turn down the opportunity to be given 6 months of your salary if you were terminated against your will. I’d sure take it. If the BOS is dumb enough to offer that to him, them blame them. I’m not a big fan of Randy – I worked in the county for a number of years. My former friends and collegues were among those laid off in the Code and Planning offices. And I doubt they would have turned down 6 months pay either. But if you are looking to blame someone, look to the BOS.
clement

You’re so right about Mr. Wheeler. He’s intelligent, well-trained, and experienced in his job category! What about the BOS? Can’t say much positive about them….
clement

Was it reported that Mr. Wheeler “withheld” the information about the expiration of the contract? Or is that an interpretation of the situation?
clement

Was it reported that Mr. Wheeler “withheld” the information about the expiration of the contract? Or is that an interpretation of the situation?
clement

SOUTHWEST….Regarding Mr. Wheeler withholding information, it seems the FLS article didn’t say that. It said

“Since then, there have been several run-ins with supervisors, the most recent being last month when Wheeler informed supervisors late about a contract for the county’s financial adviser expiring.” “Withheld” implies a motive which the reporter DIDN’T report! GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT or tell us what you know that the rest of us don’t know.
MAVRICKinc

Clay Jones said it best with a single picture/cartoon. The Spotsylvania County government, with all it nooks and crannies, works best in the dark. There is something to be said for Mr. Wheeler when he becomes a private citizen again. But, that’s another story.

The Board of Supervisors, in the middle of economic crisis have turned the lights off. They will be turned on again, but only after they have buried all the skeletons.

Notice how every comment about Wheeler serves up justifiable anger, but they all return to their lot in life as belonging to the agendas set out by the Board of Supervisors. Some of us get it, but most would rather not know.

Our BOS eliminated 13 Committees and one County Administrator.I believe we should be very concerned when the lights come on again.
gramps

Mavrick. I am not looking forward to the lights coming back on!

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