By Mary Kate Leming
and Margie Plunkett
Ocean Ridge commissioners gave their town manager a harsh evaluation in October, but Ken Schenck said he was confident he could correct the review categories in question. The annual evaluation, in which Schenck’s performance received a majority of conditional marks and several unsatisfactories, was presented at a special meeting in October. Commissioners agreed that there were serious issues with leadership and lack of authority.
“If the commission starts to micromanage [the town manager] it means we’re not getting the information we need,” Mayor Ken Kaleel said.
None of the criticisms should come as a surprise, according to Kaleel and Commissioner Geoff Pugh, since they are issues that have been discussed with Schenck in the past.
Schenck, who has been in the position 5½ years, thanked commissioners for their honesty and said he’d obviously missed some things he shouldn’t have and didn’t have an excuse. He said he wanted an opportunity to correct his mistakes and is taking them to heart. The town manager also said he was grateful for the commission’s support over the years.
Commissioners cited dissatisfaction with this year’s budget process; Schenck’s behind-the-curve-review of the insurance plan options; the impression that he puts the interests of employees before those of the town; his reactive, rather than proactive communication skills and the way he communicated to commissioners the change in police hours.
Major sore spots among commissioners were the Fire Station No. 1 contract with Boynton Beach and that Schenck never drives around town to see what’s going on — even after he’s been asked to several times over the past years.
“You should wrap this town around you like a blanket,” Pugh said. “It’s your town and your employees. You are CEO of your town company.”
The issue of Fire Station No. 1 “sent me to the roof,” Kaleel said, later explaining he expected a proactive response — such as talking with city management in Boynton Beach.
Despite the evaluation’s low marks, the commissioners all said they liked working with Schenck and they’ve heard his interaction with residents has been respectful and fair.
As requested, the town manager submitted his draft action plan to correct the performance in three months.
“It’s all up to you. It’s your job,” Pugh said of the action plan.
Schenck’s draft plan, which can still change, said he would drive around the community daily to keep abreast of residents and the town.
It also said he’d keep Commissioners informed on relevant events in surrounding towns, present issues concisely at meetings to enable informed decisions and work toward becoming more proactive and better at communications with commissioners.
Each commissioner can review the plan and meet with Schenck to offer feedback before the next meeting. The action plan will be taken up at the November commission meeting, where it will be rejected or accepted.
“Hopefully, everything will work out and we’ll move on,” Kaleel said later.
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