Provo firings reflect direction change

PROVO — The chairwoman of the Provo City Council said the firing of two city contract employees over the past two days represents a change in direction for the council and greater cooperation with Provo's new mayor.

Also, she said she doesn't expect any more terminations in the immediate future.

"We don't plan on any more firings," said chairwoman Midge Johnson. "We've already cut off our right arm and our left arm. I think we need all the staff we have."

On Wednesday, the day after Johnson was elected chairwoman, the council leadership fired Carol Walker, who was hired in August for a six-month position as economic development policy specialist. Thursday, the council's fiscal policy adviser, Dirk Anderson, got word he had been terminated as well.

The actions follow the termination of executive director Terry Ann Harward, who was fired without cause on Monday, Jan. 4, the day before three newly elected members of the city council were sworn in.

Johnson said the firings reflect a hope that cooperation between the city council and Provo's new mayor, John Curtis, can help save the city money and eliminate positions that do the same work.

There are no plans to replace either Anderson or Walker, but Thursday the council posted a notice for a new executive director, whose position will combine some of the functions carried out by Harward and Anderson.

"There are a lot of things that a good executive director needs to do," said council vice chairman Rick Healey. "We want that person to have a deep knowledge in budgets and finance."

Provo is also advertising for a new director of economic development to replace Leland Gammett, who retired from that position last year.

Healey said that under the new spirit of cooperation, council members felt Walker's job could be eliminated.

"Our ability to get information from the mayor's office is great now with the new administration," he said. "We believe we will be able to work together with the economic development department in getting some questions answered that we may not have been able to work on before."

Relations between the previous council and former Mayor Lewis Billings were notoriously strained, with little information flowing between the city's executive and legislative branches. Both Johnson and Healey said they think that has changed for the better.

At least one council members isn't so sure.