Manager’s review stirs Chandler political pot

Plotting, posturing and politics surrounding Chandler’s city manager have given the executive’s annual job review all the dramatic flair of reality TV.

Dueling alliances on the City Council have squared off over Mark Pentz’s review and contract, leaving the public wondering if he will be voted out of town today.

The weeks-long saga could come to a climax when the council publicly reviews Pentz starting at 3:30 p.m. One of the council’s first orders of business during the review is to determine if it should also be televised live on Chandler cable 11.

Pentz, hired two years ago for his experience in economic development and buildout issues, made the rare move of having his review done in public.

The city’s top administrator has also retained attorney Richard Cohen of Lewis and Roca, who attended a special council meeting April 3. “It suggests to me that perhaps he’s looking at suing us,” Councilwoman Donna Wallace said.

In a letter to the council requesting his review be conducted publicly, Pentz points to council members criticizing him in the news media. “Therefore, I am concerned my professional reputation is being compromised by this lack of opportunity to reply to these statements,” his letter states.

Pentz has repeatedly declined news media requests for comment, citing ethical constraints.

Pentz has come under scrutiny at a relatively prosperous time for Chandler. The city most recently landed large expansions at Intel, Countrywide Financial and Wells Fargo, all of which already have large corporate presences in Chandler. And unlike neighboring cities Mesa and Tempe, Chandler wasn’t facing budget gaps or city employee layoffs this year and is not expected to face those issues in next year’s budget.

But portions of the council’s written review of Pentz clearly show four of seven council members are dissatisfied with him. The material released to the public last week does not identify which council members gave the low ratings or made critical comments.

Mayor Boyd Dunn and Councilmen Lowell Huggins and Bob Caccamo have come out in support of the city’s top executive, claiming he’s the victim of a political vendetta.

“I really don’t know,” Dunn said. “I can only link a consequence or a thought that it’s just an extension of problems certain council members have with me.”

But Pentz’s critics — Vice Mayor Phill Westbrooks, Councilwoman Donna Wallace and Councilmen Matt Orlando and Martin Sepulveda — deny the claim and say it’s the other side, and Pentz himself, that are polarizing the issue.

“My issues with Mark are with Mark and not with the mayor and not with the rest of the council,” Orlando said.

Westbrooks, Sepulveda and Wallace also denied their issues with Pentz are politically motivated.

In fact, Wallace, who has announced she will run for the Legislature next fall, said she suspects part of the reason for holding the review in public is to hurt her political plans.

“People are telling me that part of the intent is to hurt me politically,” she said.

Wallace, Orlando, Westbrooks and Sepulveda declined to discuss their ratings or opinions of Pentz’s performance before today’s review.

All four have complained that Pentz or his office have been slow in responding to their requests for information in recent months.

Following a lively public meeting about Pentz’s review last Monday, council members received telephone calls, letters and e-mails in support of Pentz.

Jeff Gray, executive vice president at Countrywide Financial Corp., currently expanding in Chandler, praised Pentz and other city staffers for helping smooth out problems the company was having with Maricopa County.

“This kind of responsiveness, professionalism and service is what keeps a Fortune 500 company like ours growing in Arizona,” he wrote.

Councilman Lowell Huggins lauded Pentz’s performance and called him the best city manager Chandler has seen in 40 years. He called his fellow council members’ criticisms “petty politics.”

“I think the four of them have already made up their minds without a meeting,” Huggins said. “I hope I’m wrong.”

Mark Pentz Chandler city manager

Age: 55

Appointed: January 2004

Annual salary: $167,280, plus $550 per month vehicle allowance.

Contract includes: If fired or asked to resign, entitled to eight months severance pay that includes 60-day notice.

Previous experience: City manager of Rockville, Md. When hired, City Council members lauded his experience with buildout issues.

Accomplishments: In his self-evaluation, Pentz cited accomplishments involving downtown redevelopment, planning for buildout, neighborhood revitalization, road improvements and economic development.

Public supporters: Mayor Boyd Dunn and Councilmen Lowell Huggins and Bob Caccamo have spoken favorably of Pentz. Jeff Gray, executive vice president with Countrywide Financial Corp.; J. Scott Sasso, corporate manager with

Toyota Financial Services; Stephen B. Veitch, a former city manager from Illinois and current chairman of the city’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee, all wrote letters to the council supporting Pentz.

Pentz’s reviews

Synopsis of anonymous reviews by Chandler City Council members:

THE GOOD

Three of seven council members gave Pentz generally favorable marks — rating him “satisfactory,” “exceeding expectations” or “superior.” One council member rated Pentz “superior” in all seven evaluation categories.

Comments included “Able administrator — delegates well,” “Ethical” and “Keeps the city council informed.”

THE BAD

The other four council members generally rated Pentz “unsatisfactory” or “needing improvement” in most categories. Two council members rated him “satisfactory” in only one category and “unsatisfactory” or “needing improvement” in all others.

Council members criticized Pentz’s communication style, claiming he has yelled at council members, responded slowly on issues and even accused a council member of “being political.”

Pentz was criticized for not keeping the council informed. At least one council member reported first learning about some issues in the media.

Council members said city department heads and staff need more oversight, citing issues involving solid waste and breast-feeding.