SUFFOLK
City Council members knew they faced a lawsuit from Assessor Maria Kattmann when they voted unanimously to fire her Wednesday night.
Kattmann, the city's assessor for 12 years, had put the city on notice April 15 about a potential breach-of-contract suit over her compensation, said Lisa Bertini, a lawyer that Kattmann retained several weeks ago.
"She's not going away quietly," Bertini said. "I think they've made a catastrophic mistake which she'll recover from before they will."
Mayor Linda Johnson called Kattmann at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, waking her to say the council was about to fire her, Bertini said.
By then council members had already been behind closed doors for more than 20 minutes after that night's regular council meeting. At 11:30 p.m. they returned from closed session, voted 7-0 on a resolution to fire Kattmann and left without answering questions.
On Thursday, Councilman Charles Brown said the outcry from some residents over this year's assessments was not the driving force behind his vote. He said he considered her "overall performance" but would not go into details.
"She still has my condolences because over the years she has done a good job," Brown said.
Bertini, who spoke for her client Thursday, said Kattmann has an impeccable work history backed by two outside reviews of her office over the years. The most recent review, conducted last year at the behest of the City Council, concluded that Kattmann possessed "excellent leadership qualities" and led a "highly competent" but understaffed office.
"There's absolutely no evidence of any blemish with her job performance," Bertini said. "There's no doubt they're just looking to blame someone, so they just decided to sacrifice Ms. Kattmann."
Several council members were besieged in early April with calls from angry residents over their new assessments. Many of the complaints concerned large increases for waterfront properties, an area that the assessor's office focused on the past year.
Bertini said Kattmann contacted her in January, well before this year's assessments went out. She believed the city had wrongfully excluded her from a new executive salary and compensation plan.
Last year, Bertini represented former assistant City Manager Cindy Rohlf when she was placed on paid administrative leave. Rohlf has since been hired as an assistant city manager in Newport News.
The City Council questioned Kattmann twice last month at public work sessions. On April 21 they met with her in a closed session to discuss her performance but took no action.
The Board of Equalization, which listens to appeals by homeowners, is scheduled to continue its hearings through May 29.
Vice Mayor Curtis Milteer Sr. said he acted Wednesday night on more information than was available at the closed emergency meeting of April 21.
"There was a group wanted to fire her two weeks ago," Milteer said. "They fell short of one vote, OK, I'm not going to say who it was."
Johnson and three other council members did not return several calls seeking comment Thursday. It's unclear what the council plans to do with this year's assessments.
"We don't know exactly what's going to happen," Councilman Joseph Barlow said.
Brown said he needs to hear a more detailed legal answer to what, if anything, the City Council can do about this year's figures.
Kattmann's deputy assessor is taking over in her place for the time being. She declined to comment Thursday.
Dave Forster, (757) 222-5563, dave.forster@pilotonline.com
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About those wealthy folks
I keep hearing that the wealthy folks don't want to pay their fair share. Maybe so. Have you considered that these "wealthy' people made a choice many years back to buy waterfront when it was so 'valuable'? That many made sacrifices to own that propery? That their pay has no more escalated anymore than yours? The assessment of those properties is not on par with the rest of the city. The city council made an error accepting such unbalanced assessments. They are all to blame, not just the assessor. Unless they now load her personnel file with damning information they, and the city of Suffolk, will lose $$$ in the courts. Oh well, you sleep in the bed you made.
The Suffolk City Council ....
...I hope you become her Lottery Ticket!!!!!
wrongful termination
It really seems like the Suffolk city council has stepped in the proverbial cowpie this time. It seems like they sought a scapegoat for constituent unhappiness over rising assessments, and if so, Ms. Kattmann's firing was unwarranted. They better have some pretty good reasons to back it up, given her 12 years of prior good service and TWO independent positive reviews. I'd be surprised if she doesn't sue, and if she does sue, I'd be surprised if she doesn't win. Maybe they've got information that hasn't been made public, though, so you never can tell.
And chesschamp, what they heck would they countersue for? You seem to typify the average American who thinks you can just sue (or countersue) if you don't like what someone is doing. You can't countersue just because someone is suing you, you still have to have grounds.
"It's Not A Good Time to Be In Suffolk!"
Spring is in the air and Suffolk City Council is cleaning house. It's not surprising Ms. Kattmann was fired from her position of City Assessor.
With the property assessments bouncing up-and-down like a rubber ball.
Who could blame City Council for their decision after complaints by citizens.
It's also not surprising Ms. Kattmann has retained the same attorney former Assistant City Manager Cindy Rohlf used. Ms. Rohlf anf Ms. Kattmann are good friends and Ms. Kattmann will properly survive this issue. She may not work for the City of Suffolk anymore, but she'll have a "Golden Parachute" to help her land a higher salary position in another city.
As for property assessments only an audit of the Assessors office can solve this issue. Updated real estate information and staffing of the Assessors Office will be top priority for a new City Assessor with the City of Suffolk.
It's all about money
Maria Kattmann had been doing a great job until she wanted the wealthy to pay their fair share, then she gets fired. I hope she gets a really good lawyer and sue's the heck out of the city! The City Council used her, then dumped her when people with money started to complain. Go get them Maria, you deserve it!
How convenient
If she collects on her lawsuit, she will be paid from the city coffers. Good thing there is extra money in the coffers now since she raised the tax assessments. Seriously, she is just suing because her pride is hurt. I hope Suffolk countersues.
City assessor
It's a shame that the city council is so overtly biased towards the few people who own waterfront property. All the assessor was trying to do was make the wealthy people of Suffolk pay their fair share of the tax burden. I think the city should hire a private assessor to give the true value of the waterfront property. Then maybe the people who own waterfront property will stop their whining. When the assessments of the middle class/working people of Suffolk doubled in a five year period, nobody seemed to care. I hope Ms. Kattmann wins her lawsuit for an enormous amount of money. The city council should be made to feel the pain of their overt favoratism. Maybe the council will eventually learn that you can't steamroll people in order to satisfy the few wealthy landowners.
ANOTHER WONDERFUL DECISION...
Looks like City Council KNOWINGLY decided to terminate her with the complete understanding she has a leg to stand on in reference to a law suit in the wings. Isn't that them saying "I know we are gonna get sued (and more than likey lose...or better yet settle) but we're gonna do it anyway". I thought Council was supposed to have the City's economic best interest in mind when making decisions like this? Guess they don't have to answer to anyone until the next elections? By then the lawsuit will be settled and she'll be happily living ever after with the thousands the City of Suffolk hands her to make her go away. If I made those kinds of decisions at work I'd be fired on the spot.
They hired what they now say is an incompetent...
and then have to pay to get rid of her! This far along...don't settle - take her to the mat!
The Truth Is Starting To Come Out
The city council established an "executive salary and compensation plan" and excluded the assessor (and probably several other employees). The assessor submitted a formal request to be allowed to participate. Then city council fires her. Now council members say the firing had nothing to do with the recent assessments but a vague "overall performance." Yet the assessor's office just went through an independent audit that judged her department as "highly competent." Something doesn't add up.
Just what is the "executive salary and compensation plan?" Did it require a vote of council to establish this plan? When was the plan established? Who participates and benefits from the plan? How much does the plan cost the taxpayers of Suffolk? Where in the city budget is the plan accounted for?
The city manager, Selena Cuffee-Glenn must know. The city attorney, Edward Roettger must know. The mayor, Linda Johnson must know. Start asking them Dave Forster. Dig deeper.
The real aim
budnbarb are basically advocating anarchy. To vote out every incumbent regardless of valid reasoning is silly.
Suffolk Assessor
You mean it took you 12 years to decide she was not what you wanted in the job? Suffolk city council sure is slow in the brain....(VTBO)