Princeton council plans to meet April 15 to consider city manager’s future

The Princeton City Council is planning to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, to discuss further employment of City Manager Theresa Wittenauer.

The council’s agenda said it will meet in closed session, which is allowed by state statute to discuss personnel, and then it will conduct a public discussion among council members and vote.

Princeton Mayor Ray Mabry said he is asking the city’s legal counsel if public comment can be added to the agenda. Council member Jerry Neumann said he would like the council to hear public comment prior to going into closed session.

Mabry said the special meeting was called by him to discuss Wittenauer’s performance and possible termination.

“I’ve been mayor two years and it felt like the appropriate time to discuss her performance,” Mabry said. “No decisions have been made. We had to put it on the agenda the way it is about voting, because that way if we decide to take action, it is in there. We can come out of closed session and take action.”

Neumann said he was taken by surprise at the mayor calling for the special meeting and said he’ll be advocating for Wittenauer to retain her position.

“There’s been no indication of a problem of any kind,” Neumann said of the city manager.

Neumann commended Wittenauer for her work to reduce the city’s debt from $42 million to $13 million and her personnel decisions.

“She is a phenomenal city manager,” Neumann said. “She’s doing an exceptional job, and has done so many things for this city and community. She’s been better than any other city manager I’ve work with and I’ve been on City Council for 10 years and have worked with three. She is by far the best one we’ve ever had.”

Neumann also was concerned about the timing of the meeting. Don Saletzky is set to take a spot on the City Council in May after receiving the most votes in the April 1 election, taking Martin Makransky’s seat. A new council will be in place within a month.

Neumann said he wants to make sure his colleagues hear the positive impact Wittenauer has made, including any comments from the public.

“I want to be sure whoever attends this meeting has an opportunity to speak if they wish,” Neumann said. “I’m going to insist the public has an opportunity to speak before executive session, before we make any decision.”

Mabry said his perspective on how the city runs has changed since he became mayor, and he will share those observations with his colleagues during Tuesday’s session.

“As a mayor and council, this is nothing we take lightly,” Mabry said. “We take this very seriously. And as a mayor, I’m just one vote, there are four additional votes. I’m going to rely on the council for direction and advice.”

City council members Hector Gomez, Michael McCall and Makransky also were contacted by Shaw Local News Network and said they were not going to comment on personnel matters prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

Makransky said it’s going to be an interesting meeting, also noting he is approaching it with an open mind.

“I’ve never been a part of anything like that,” the council member said.

Former Princeton mayor Joel Quiram posted Sunday on Facebook about the meeting, alerting residents and supporting Wittenauer.

“Theresa has been invaluable in her role as our city manager,” Quiram said. “From continuing to lower our debt, to the remaking of our depot parking lot, to our ever-evolving street program, and her involvement in saving our hospital from closing and all the behind the scenes day to day activity involved with properly managing a city our size, not to mention her ever present positive and gregarious personality, Theresa is our city’s greatest asset.”

Quiram shared contact information for the City Council and encouraged residents to voice their concerns.

“If you care about the direction Princeton takes, between good and bad, and you prefer good, please take a moment to contact council members, either by phone or email, and express your feelings,” Quiram said.

Neumann said he was uncertain of what direction Princeton would go if it fired Wittenauer.

“She’s the hub of everything we do,” he said.

Wittenauer has been Princeton’s city manager since December 2019. Wittenauer’s contract runs concurrently with Mabry’s term through the 2027 election.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at City Hall, 2 S. Main St.