Arlington County officials are conceding that a hiring mistake in filling a top government job will cost county taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in a time of tight budgets.
Former Arlington County Manager Michael Brown received a hefty six-month severance package after being forced to resign last week only 4 1/2 months after he was hired.
Brown’s abrupt resignation initially shocked county residents. The mystery surrounding the sudden departure was clarified when Board Chairman Jay Fisette conceded late Wednesday that Brown was asked to leave.
Over $30,000 was spent on a seven-month nationwide search to hire Brown. And he’ll earn more after being forced out than he did in his short time on the job — the board voted last week to authorize a $110,000 severance payment written into Brown’s contract in the event of his termination.
Fisette detailed the board’s request at the Arlington Democratic Committee meeting. The board had done its due diligence in the last few months to conclude that Brown was not a good fit for the county, he said.
Fisette would not clarify in what way Brown was not a good fit, except to say the decision was not based on any single action.
A phone number for Brown provided by Arlington County human resources has been changed or disconnected.
The board’s decision was surprising given Brown’s track record in public administration. He left his position as city manager of Savannah, Ga., which he held for 15 years, with a reputation as a fiscally responsible leader.
Yet Brown’s relationships with the council and Savannah mayor were often strained, said Savannah Alderman Tony Thomas. Brown worked with three different mayors and numerous council members during his time in Savannah.
By most accounts, Brown had endeared himself to the Arlington community in a short amount of time. Arlington Ridge resident Joan Quinn said she felt as though the community had lost an ally, someone who was responsive to their concerns, particularly those about the Crystal City plan.
In the weeks before his termination, Brown helped negotiate a last-minute recommendation to form a citizens advisory committee to follow up on Crystal City’s progress and hold the county accountable for its plans.
He seemed happy to have returned to Virginia — Brown’s parents still live in Prince William County, where he grew up as a child — and had tremendous energy for the job, according to those who worked with Brown.
“Quite frankly, Michael left Savannah for what we believed, and were told at the time, to be a dream opportunity for him,” Thomas said.
