Fired city manager asks for investigation of councilman
Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter
Patrick Marsh, who was fired as Fernley city manager last Friday, asked Wednesday during public participation at the City Council meeting for the council to investigate the actions of councilman Albert Torres.
Marsh said he was fired last Friday when mayor Neal McIntyre came into his office at 8 a.m. and asked for his resignation. Marsh said when he refused, McIntyre told him he was fired.
Marsh said when he asked why he was being fired, McIntyre declined to give him a reason, and told him he “wasn’t a good fit” for the city of Fernley.
Marsh was hired as deputy city manager last January, and when Daphne Hooper resigned as city manager last March to take a position in the president’s office at the University of Nevada, Reno, Marsh was named acting city manager. He was then hired to the position following a search that yielded seven candidates for the job. His employment contract was finalized in October.
“I have no negative information in my file, and I was dismissed before I’ve ever had a formal evaluation and I’ve never been disciplined,” Marsh said.
Marsh went on to charge that Torres asked him to hire Mike Toombs as his deputy city manager. Toombs served as deputy city manager under Hooper prior to Marsh being hired. Marsh hired Lydia Altick as deputy city manager.
“I believe I was fired because I refused to hire a friend of a councilman as deputy city manager,” Marsh said. “A council member was trying to use that position for his personal gain.”
When told that his allotted time to speak was up, Marsh continued talking, and before leaving the podium, demanded an investigation into Torres’ conduct. McIntyre then called for a recess.
The council did not respond to Marsh’s allegations, and because the item was not on the agenda, the council was not allowed to take any action on Marsh’s request.
McIntyre has said neither he nor the council can comment on the firing of Marsh because it is a confidential personnel matter.
