By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A St. Joseph city councilmember suggests growing dissatisfaction among some councilmembers in his performance might have led City Manager Bruce Woody to seek another position.
Woody is leaving city government after nearly 25 years in St. Joseph to become the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority executive director in Pensacola, Florida. Woody has been city manager for eight years.
Councilmember P-J Kovac believes Woody could sense some councilmembers didn’t back him.
“It actually didn’t surprise me,” Kovac says about Woody’s decision to leave the city. “A few people on the city council weren’t happy with him. I think he could sense that. So, he was probably looking out for himself, thinking he didn’t know how secure he was going to be.”
Kovac says, while some on the council grumble about Woody, he has been satisfied with the city manager’s performance.
“I think he deals with employees very well and he’s very fair,” Kovac says. “You can text him anytime of the day or night and ask him a question and he gets back with you immediately. I’ve never had him put me off on anything. I just think he’s a good man and I just think he’s done a pretty darn good job.”
Kovac says though he didn’t vote to hire Woody as city manager eight years ago, he’s grown to admire how Woody runs City Hall.
“I wish Bruce well. I really think he’s done a fine job for us. I can’t really complain about him.”
Kovac says the city council will hire a search firm to begin the process to replace Woody, which he expects will take at least six months. Woody is staying on to help the city council through the budget process.
Woody has found himself in the position of having to justify city accounting practices. Assistant Administrative Services Director Beau Musser has raised questions about the finances of city government and succeeded in getting the city council to request a state audit.
Kovac opposes the move, arguing that the accusations of Musser boil down to problems with sewer billing. He says it would have been a better use of taxpayer money to hire a firm to upgrade sewer billing, rather than conduct an audit. Kovac also points out the city has already passed an independent audit, which found only minor problems.
“They’re going to find the sewer billing, because they already know about that, but I don’t think there’s any other thing major,” Kovac says. “I don’t think there’s anybody siphoning money or funds from the city into their own pocket.”
The Missouri state Auditor’s office is considering whether to conduct an audit of city books.