Knapp
POUGHKEEPSIE – Deborah McDonnell is expected to assume her position as Poughkeepsie City Administrator sometime around mid-October.
This week, the common council unanimously approved keeping Police Chief Ronald Knapp on as acting administrator until she is onboard. The council approved a 30-day extension of his appointment.
Council Vice Chairwoman Natasha Cherry summed up the general sentiment of her colleagues.
“Us as a council, we don’t always see eye to eye, but Administrator Knapp, I think you’re one of the few constants that we all support and agree upon,” Cherry said. “Whatever we can do, and I’m speaking for the council as a whole, which as I know you share our sentiment, to keep you around. We have to try to figure this out because we can’t afford to loses you.”
Knapp isn’t going away. He is still the city’s police chief. But, for perhaps the next four weeks, he will still be running the business end of the city.
Mc Donnell, who leaves a similar post in Fairborn, Ohio, will be making about the same salary here. While her appointment was generally supported with enthusiasm by the council, the salary proposed by Mayor Robert Rolison was a point of serious contention.
Rolison said he intended to pay her $140,000, even though the position was advertised at $125,000. The council voted 4-3, with one abstention, to approve the salary. Five votes are required.
Rolison reportedly still plans to set her salary at $140,000.
According to a copy of her contract in Fairborn, obtained by MidHudsonNews.Com, she was earning $141,000 there.
As a percentage of the city budget, $140,000 would be .16 percent. Newburgh’s city administrator salary is .25 percent of the total budget. Beacon is even higher, at .48 percent.
