Crum Departs With Sick Pay Worth $17,600 Amount Believed To Be Largest Payoff In City’s Buy-Back Program

When Roger Crum left Spokane to take a job in Evanston, Ill., he got a bonus: $17,600 from sick pay he didn’t use.

The amount is believed to be the largest ever paid by Spokane taxpayers.

“It was in my contract,” said Crum, now Evanston’s city manager. “It was standard language.”

By virtue of Crum earning the highest salary the city has ever paid, his sick-day cash-in is the largest ever given a departing worker. All city employees can cash in part of the sick time they accrue while on the job here.

City administrators defended the sick-leave policy.

Acting City Manager Bill Pupo called it an incentive program, “a reward for the general work force to keep them from abusing sick leave and being away from the job.”

“It’s a great insurance policy,” said Deputy City Manager Pete Fortin, adding employee absences are expensive to employers in terms of lost production.

Why would a manager earning $95,714 a year need an incentive to go to work, Pupo was asked.

“We don’t need to give incentives to managers,” Pupo said. “But their contracts are basically patterned off other employees who get medical, dental, vacation and sick leave.”

His former boss, Crum, agreed.

“I don’t know if they need an incentive,” Crum said, adding he used little sick time during his 22 years with Spokane. “It’s pretty standard having some sick-leave payout, unless it’s bargained out for another benefit.”

City employees work for multi-million dollar corporations but don’t get stock options, Pupo said. “We’re very limited in terms of what we can provide to employees.”

Employees earn four hours of sick leave every two weeks. Upon retirement, they can cash in 40 percent of a 960-hour cap.

Crum banked nearly 2,000 hours during his tenure.

Many government employees have similar programs, including Washington state employees and public school teachers.

Crum’s new job pays out 100 percent of unused sick leave, he said.

Former City Manager Terry Novak cashed in about $16,000 in unused sick leave when he retired in 1991.

“The policy was in effect long before I came to Spokane,” Crum said.

Spokane’s policy that pays managers for not abusing sick time irks some spending critics.

“The intent of that bargaining agreement was not to cover top management,” said Dick Adams, who raised the issue of Crum’s payout this week with the council.

“I’m baffled by why people are paid for sick leave,” said Ron McArthur, a former council candidate. “I bet they could fill a couple of potholes with that.”

Four council members said they had no problem with the policy. They all agreed the benefit would be part of contract negotiations if the strong mayor initiative fails Sept. 17 and a permanent manager is hired.

“It’s not all that uncommon, particularly in public employment,” said Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes, who was paid for unused sick time when she was a teacher in California.

“I’m sure it’s an issue with some people, but it is part of the overall compensation package,” said Mayor Jack Geraghty. “City managers in Spokane are paid anywhere from 10 to 35 percent less than comparable cities. We have no bonuses.”

“I don’t have any problem with it,” said Councilman Jeff Colliton. “If you go across corporate lines, it’s the same thing.”

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