Sat, May 17 2008
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Published May 06, 2008 07:36 pm - CONNEAUT — Tension and turmoil at City Hall didn’t deter Edward Somppi from seeking Conneaut’s interim city manager job, and Tuesday night he snared the prize he sought. Conneaut hires Somppi as interim city manager City Council approves contract at special meeting By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com Star Beacon CONNEAUT — Tension and turmoil at City Hall didn’t deter Edward Somppi from seeking Conneaut’s interim city manager job, and Tuesday night he snared the prize he sought.
City Council, at a special meeting, unanimously approved a contract with the veteran administrator. The agreement is retroactive to Monday, when Somppi actually started his new duty. “I’m anxious to get started,” he said after the special meeting. Council, whose tiffs have become the stuff of legend this year, tossed differences aside to support Somppi, who brings years of government experience to the temporary position. He will oversee the day-to-day operations of the city until a full-time manager can be located. Council President James Jones has said a manager may not be on the job until the end of the year. Somppi will be paid $4,100 a month, and the city will pick up a percentage of his public employee pension. With wages and benefits, Somppi’s compensation is valued at $5,000 a month, Jones said. Heated arguments have been the hallmark of council in 2008, but the problems didn’t prevent him from submitting a resume, he said. “There was no hesitation,” Somppi said after the meeting. “I’m hoping I can pull council and the administration together. I consider myself a communicator. We’ll get down to the business of running the city of Conneaut. I want us to work together as a team.” Douglas Lewis, Conneaut’s city manager for the past four years, is leaving to become Painesville’s assistant city manager. His last day at City Hall is Friday. Somppi was one of eight people to apply for the interim job. A lifelong Conneaut resident, his resume includes time spent as a city police officer, city school employee and local school board member. He also was City Council president in 1990. More recently, he worked 13 years as Ashtabula County’s Emergency Management Agency director and four years as administrator at Geneva-on-the-Lake. He stepped down from the latter job earlier this month. The charter government Conneaut voters approved in 1990 calls for a city manager hired by council. The three managers hired since then all came to Conneaut from different locales. Somppi is the first home-grown administrator, and his familiarity with the city is a big plus, he said. “A local person knows what’s needed (in the community),” he said. “I hope it will be an advantage.” Somppi is also the first manager — interim or not — who has sought elected office. Earlier this year, he hoped to become the Democratic candidate in one of November’s county commissioner races but was defeated by Peggy Carlo. Ward 1 Councilman Dave Campbell, while endorsing Somppi, also offered a caveat before casting his vote: Keep politics out of his decision-making. “We have a gentleman’s agreement there will be no politics,” Campbell said. “If politics do get involved, it will be the biggest catastrophe this city has ever seen.” 
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