CITY MANAGER'S SAGA: Council accepts Person's resignation

After 16 years as the city manager of Sidney, Gary Person tendered his resignation at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

Person's resignation comes amid a controversy that in recent months enveloped two other high-ranking city employees.

City Clerk Geri Anthony, who has been employed with the city for nearly 50 years, was appointed the interim city manager while a long-term plan is drafted.

Person's tenure as the chief executive of the city, which began in 1999, was the longest since Sidney adopted its current form of government.

He addressed the City Council moments into the meeting. In front of a standing-room only audience, he reflected on Sidney's successes and growth in past decades.

He said he tried to reward the faith and trust people placed in him with "hard work, loyalty and daily effort in helping our community grow and prosper," he said.

"This is where my kids were born and raised, and it became home" he added. "Every time I had professional opportunities to leave for greener pastures, I instead found more reasons to stay."

Person said throughout his career, he carried the city banner like a "Badge of Honor" – throughout the region, state and, on occasion, the country.

He also acknowledged the ongoing controversy involving Sidney Police Chief B.J. Wilkinson, who remains on paid administrative leave.

Wilkinson is one of the finest law enforcement officers he's known, Person said.

"For what I believe to be motivated by self-serving interests, this overblown situation surfaced 16 months later," he said. "Now a heavy toll has been taken. If my resignation will help the community heal, move forward and place its energy and focus into its very bright future, then please accept it."

Throughout his remarks, Person stopped often to gather himself and hold back tears.

"I will always passionately believe in Sidney," he said. "It will always be a part of me. I want only the best for your future. It was a privilege to have served you."

Person then asked to be excused from the remainder of the meeting, which Mayor Mark Nienhueser allowed.

Five residents made public comments supporting Person – some asking the council to reject his resignation. One person spoke against him.

City Councilors then each took turns thanking Person for his contributions to the city.

Nienhueser said he agrees with Person that the community needs to heal and move forward.

"Recent events have brought us to where we are today," the mayor said. "These events are unfortunate, but they still remain a fact."

Councilor Wendell Gaston said he's known Person for nearly 50 years.

"And I think he'd give you the shirt off his back and any employee the benefit of the doubt," he said.

In a roll-call vote, councilors approved 4-1 to accept Person's resignation, effective Wednesday. Gaston cast the only "no" vote.

The Sidney city manager oversees the municipality's day-to-day administrative operations and its 14 departments with more than 100 full- and part-time staff.

Person was the 14th individual to hold that position, but announced last Thursday – a day after he fired Sidney Public Works Director John Hehnke – he would tender his resignation at the meeting.

Beginning earlier this year, questions have been raised about the involvement of Hehnke Wilkinson and Person in an incident that occurred 1 1/2 years ago. According to court testimony and documents, Wilkinson blocked a citation that had been issued to a Hehnke. A subsequent Nebraska State Patrol investigation turned up an email Wilkinson had written in 2014 in which he admitted to pulling the paperwork and not sending the file to the county attorney's office.

Criminal charges were subsequently brought against both Hehnke and Wilkinson

In April, Hehnke pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace and paid a $300 fine.

In July, Wilkinson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing government operations and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. He has since filed an appeal, which is due to be heard in court Sept. 28.

Person is a native Western Nebraskan and grew up near the Wyoming border.

From 1991-2014, he served as the city and county economic development director and was named the Nebraska Economic Developer's Association 2014 Professional of the Year.

In 2014, he testified before a U.S. Senate Committee in Washington, D.C., on rural economic development.

During his tenure, Sidney undertook large-scale infrastructure improvement projects while jobs and housing units were increased and the city's valuation greatly increased.

GARY PERSON'S REMARKS TO CITY COUNCIL

Citizens, fellow employees, Mayor and Sidney City Council:

Thank you for allowing me to make a public statement. It is with a heavy heart, I am officially offering my formal resignation tonight per terms of my employment agreement in a time frame to be determined by the Sidney City Council.

For 37 years, the Sidney community gave me incredible opportunities to grow professionally and as a person with tremendous support. I tried to reward the faith and trust people placed in me with hard work, loyalty and daily effort in helping our community grow and prosper. This is where my kids were born and raised and it became home. Every time I had professional opportunities to leave for greener pastures, I instead found more reasons to stay.

Throughout my time as city manager, economic development director, chamber of commerce manager and in volunteer efforts through the Jaycees, I carried the Sidney banner like a "Badge of Honor" across the region and State of Nebraska, and on occasion even nationally.

A quarter century ago when it was announced I would be the City's economic development director in this very room, I simply said, "I give you no promises, but I will give you performance" and bring my game face, every single day.

To all the wonderful and kind people who have reached out to me locally and from across Nebraska during this difficult time, it meant the world to me and my family and solidified our faith in humanity.

I must address the recent events that have occurred and the negativity that has surrounded the community. Chief Wilkinson is one of the finest law enforcement officers I've ever known.

I believe that most similar non-violent domestic incidents are handled by law enforcement in a discretionary manner to the satisfaction of those involved.

For what I believe to be motivated by self-serving interests, this overblown situation surfaced 16 months later. Now a heavy toll has been taken.

Nonetheless, my shortcoming as a manager is perhaps I focus too much on the good in people, rather than their faults as human beings, and for that I hold myself accountable. If my resignation will help this community heal, move forward and place its energy and focus into its very bright future, then please accept it.

This community has worked hard and exerted its energy collectively in creating something very special that has become the envy of rural America. When citizens in a community work together good things happen. It's time once again to please focus on the blessings we have in front of us.

We have incredibly dedicated and intelligent City Council members, who will make the right decisions in moving the community forward. We have talented, hardworking men and women as employees and department heads. I hired many of them. I'm confident they will carry on as usual. It's very challenging being a public servant in this day and age. Please give them your 100 percent support. They need it now, more than ever.

Over the past 16 years in this role, I stood in the face of fire more times than you will ever know to defend and represent this community. We won far more battles, than not.

I will greatly miss the people and the daily challenges that face a City Manager. It is a position where you truly can make a difference. For the first 40 years of Sidney's City Manager form of government, the average length of stay for people holding this position was 3 years and 3 months.

For an old country boy from the hills of Banner County that grew up milking cows - to survive 16 years in this position defies logic. I believe, however, that the stability of the position brought by the last two Sidney city managers over the past 25 years helped our community and county to move forward in a positive way, rebuild our economy and believe in itself.

It will take that same kind of support for my successor to realize all of the successes this community has potentially in store for its future.

I will always passionately believe in Sidney. It will always be a part of me. I want only the best for your future. It was a privilege to have served you.